EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE
Now in its third year, Early Learning Initiative (ELI) is making an impact, enabling more children to enter kindergarten prepared to read, and helping them to continue reading and learning on grade level. See the results community investment in literacy has made.
WHY IS EARLY LITERACY CRITICAL?
When children are born, they all have the potential to succeed in school and in life. But at some point, their circumstances will affect the opportunities they have and, ultimately, their chances in life. While many children have the support they need to get started on the right foot, prepared for school and ready to succeed, not all children are as fortunate. Too many children live in an environment that isn’t preparing them for a bright future. Brought on by their circumstances, the barriers they face shadow their belief in themselves and what they are capable of.
Most Americans wrongly believe that it is OK for children to enter school without basic literacy skills because they assume they will catch up. The reality is, 88 percent of first graders who are reading below grade level will continue to read below grade level in fourth grade.
Fourth graders who struggle to read are four times more likely to drop out of school as compared to proficient readers.
THE HIGH COST OF FALLING BEHIND
When students drop out of high school, it’s at great cost to themselves and our community. The student will likely not have the same career opportunities, and research shows that those without a high school diploma will earn 75 percent less than their peer that graduated. The social implications of a student dropping out are far-reaching, beyond any one student or any one family. Communities with higher dropout rates have more crime and poverty and less social and economic stability. The number of high school students who graduate impacts our entire community from our businesses, schools, and local government, to each of us as individuals.
UNITED WAY SUNCOAST WORKS TO BREAK THE CYCLE
United Way is committed to help change these conditions by leading a comprehensive approach to improving early literacy in our region. United Way has launched the Early Literacy Initiative, bringing together the resources and the expertise necessary for real progress. Through partnerships and collaboration, United Way is uniquely positioned to lead an innovative, comprehensive approach to early literacy and deliver at a regional level. With the objective of sharing and reinforcing proven literacy development techniques, our vision for a successful, regional early literacy initiative requires a multi-prong approach. ELI will make a lasting change because it helps children build the necessary reading skills through parental engagement, volunteer mobilization, caregiver support, teacher training, and community awareness.
For information about partnership, sponsorship or funding opportunities, please contact us at 813-274-0900.


There's nothing more enjoyable for a kid than an educational game that encourages kids to learn through play. It's especially enticing to parents when children don't even realize that they're playing an educational game. Of course, with so many kids' educational games from video and computer to board and card games, the possibilities are endless for your little ones to grow, learn and have fun, all at the same time.
With rapidly growing technology come a slew of games that both entertain and educate children young and old. These interactive games combine technology with kid-friendly amusement to bring your children animated games that can improve basic skills, knowledge and support their education. The Kurio 7 tablet, which runs Android 4.0, comes packed with popular games that can help your children learn through play. With hundreds of free open source educational games, your child can spend hours learning and playing on their parental-controlled tablet.
If you don't want your child to have access to the internet, you can invest in handheld video game consoles like Lexibook games, where your children can play classic arcade games, learning games and more on a pre-loaded console. More cost effective than a tablet, handheld gaming devices boost hand-eye coordination, logic skills and more. Your child can have fun while playing games that push them to think more creatively.
Of course, standard computer games can also offer educational value to your child's play time. In addition to becoming acclimated to computer usage at a young age, you'll find a variety of kids' games that are perfect for learning. With fun educational games for kids that can help them in everything from math and science to reading and spelling, your children are sure to have hours of learning entertainment. For older kids, you can find trivia games, historical games and more to expand on educational topics that interest your children.
Of course, there's nothing quite like classic board and card games to help your children learn. With cooperative games that teach sharing and working together toward the same goal, your child will learn about social interaction. In addition to interaction with others, your children can also expand on classroom knowledge with games that test their skills. Educational Insights offers a vast selection of games that are enjoyable and excellent learning tools. Games like Wordical and Pass the Peas help children with letter recognition and word-building. Other games, like Free Range Fractions and Even Steven's Odd, are perfect for numbers and math problem-solving.
For older children, you'll find a wide selection of board games that teach them about strategy, boost creative thinking and even expand on already-learned ideas and skills. Scrabble is an excellent strategy and word game that pre-teens and teens can play to improve their vocabulary, strategic thinking and more. Cranium is the perfect game for engaging several parts of the brain. From word puzzles and artistic challenges to communication skills and trivia knowledge, this game pushes your kids to think inside and outside the box.
The excitement of playing games starts with an enjoyable game. Whether it's a single-player video game or a competitive card game with the whole family, your child's learning doesn't have to end in the classroom. With fun educational games for kids, your children are sure to enjoy learning at home just as much as they love playing. Regardless of your child's age, you'll find a variety of games that are suitable for their level of knowledge and understanding.


artist as brand, Éduard Manet, digital painting, drawing, illustration, illustrators journal, impressionism, painter, realism, sketching, technology, this week in digital media on blogtalk radio, twitter, xanate media
Manet is perhaps the Godfather of impressionism. His breakaway from traditional realism practiced by many of the painters of his day created a stir not unlike Rock n’ Roll did to swing music. Many of his followers and devotees were some of the greatest impressionists and modern painters who ever lived.
His early masterworks, The Luncheon on the Grass (Le déjeuner sur l’herbe) and Olympia, engendered great controversy and served as rallying points for the young painters who would create Impressionism. Today, these are considered watershed paintings that mark the genesis of modern art.
Édouard Manet was born in Paris on 23 January 1832, to an affluent and well connected family. His mother, Eugénie-Desirée Fournier, was the daughter of a diplomat and goddaughter of the Swedish crown prince, Charles Bernadotte, from whom the current Swedish monarchs are descended. His father, Auguste Manet, was a French judge who expected Édouard to pursue a career in law. His uncle, Charles Fournier, encouraged him to pursue painting and often took young Manet to the Louvre. In 1841 he enrolled at secondary school, the Collège Rollin. In 1845, at the advice of his uncle, Manet enrolled in a special course of drawing where he met Antonin Proust, future Minister of Fine Arts and subsequent life-long friend.
At his father’s suggestion, in 1848 he sailed on a training vessel to Rio de Janeiro. After Manet twice failed the examination to join the Navy, the elder Manet relented to his son’s wishes to pursue an art education. From 1850 to 1856, Manet studied under the academic painter, Thomas Couture. In his spare time, Manet copied the old masters in the Louvre.
From 1853 to 1856 he visited Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, during which time he absorbed the influences of the Dutch painter Frans Hals, as well as the Spanish artists, Diego Velázquez and Francisco José de Goya.
In 1856, Manet opened his own studio. His style in this period was characterized by loose brush strokes, simplification of details and the suppression of transitional tones. Adopting the current style of realism initiated byGustave Courbet, he painted The Absinthe Drinker (1858–59) and other contemporary subjects such as beggars, singers, Gypsies, people in cafés, and bullfights. After his early years, he rarely painted religious, mythological, or historical subjects; examples include his Christ Mocked, now in the Art Institute of Chicago, and Christ with Angels, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. At the Salon in 1861 Manet had two canvases accepted. A portrait of his mother and father, the latter paralysed and robbed of speech at this time by a stroke, was ill received by critics. The other , The Spanish Singer, was admired by Theophile Gautier , and placed in a more conspicuous location as a result of its popularity with Salon-goers. And Manet’s work, that appeared “slightly slapdash” when compared with the meticulous style of so many other Salon paintings intrigued some young artists. The Spanish Singer, painted in a “strange new fashion” caused many painters’ eyes to open and their jaws to drop.


Standardized testing is a part of every child’s life. From state testing to SATs, ACTs, GMATs and GREs, the longer a student pursues education the more testing he or she will have to complete. Some students become very anxious when asked to perform on an important assessment. Here are some basic tips for parents to help their children relax and do their best, but we’d love to hear your ideas as well:
- Early preparation is better than cramming the night before. Younger children who practice math facts and reading comprehension strategies can face testing with a solid plan in place. Older students who take practice exams well before the big day will feel more confident with both the format and content of their test.
- Healthy routines reap rewards. If a child has a regular, reasonable bedtime, then there is no benefit to altering it the night before a test. Trying to put him/her to bed early might cause unnecessary anxiety and actually postpone sleep longer. Likewise, a healthy breakfast is always the best start for a day of learning. Feeding your child significantly more than he or she is accustomed to eating can cause sluggishness.
- Most importantly, stay positive. Encouraging your child to do his/her best and exuding confidence are the best tools for success.
However, many of our most practical suggestions come from parents and teachers. What works for you? Please reply to this blog with your comments and ideas.


Scenario 2: How do I create a contextualised numeracy diagnostic for my painting and decorating programme?
Here’s the next scenario:
- You’re a trades tutor teaching painting and plastering. Your learners are a group of adults with mixed backgrounds and abilities. You suspect that they don’t understand how to work with area calculations.
1. Consider what else you now know about your programme and your learners
Your learners are working towards unit standards and a New Zealand certificate. But you also know that they lack some of the key numeracy skills that they need to work effectively in the industry.
As a former commercial painter and decorator, your reputation is at stake here. You don’t feel that you can recommend any of your students to potential employers unless you feel confident in their abilities to do the work. And being able to work out how much paint is needed for a wall is one thing they need to know above almost anything else.
2. Revisit your learning outcome for numeracy
Next, you draft the following learning outcome. This is what you hope your learners to achieve:
- Estimate and calculate the area of a rectangle in the context of working out the amount of paint needed for a wall.
You’ve included estimation here because as a professional painter you know that after a while you don’t have to calculate everything every time.
With experience, you hope that your trainees will also be able to quickly estimate key measurements that they need with a degree of accuracy.
3. Unpack the calculation or task
In order to unpack a calculation you sat down with a colleague, and over coffee asked the following question:
- What do I need to know in order to do this?
Here’s a summary of what you brainstormed. Learners would need to know how to:
- Estimate and measure length in metres.
- Understand that area is measured in square metres.
- Know how to estimate the area of a wall in square metres.
- Understand and apply the knowledge that to find the area of a rectangle you multiply the length of one side by the other.
- Multiply numbers with decimals.
4. Develop some diagnostic questions based on what you’ve unpacked
You’ve worked out what the outcome is that you want to achieve and you’ve unpacked some of the underpinning knowledge and skills. Next, you come up with the following diagnostic questions:
Numeracy diagnostic for painting and decorating
Estimate the length of a wall.
Measure the length of a wall.
Draw a square metre on the wall or workshop floor.
Estimate the area of the wall.
Answer these questions
2 x 4 =
2.4 x 3 =
24 x 30 =
Find the area of this rectangle:


National Literacy Mission was a programme started by Government of India in 1988 on a national scale. It is a time-bound programme which aims to make 80 million adults in the age group of 15-35 years literate over and eighty year period. This programme aims to teach people how to read, write and count also to make people aware of their surroundings so that they can move towards a positive change.
The National Literacy Mission was set up by Government of India on 5th May 1988 with a basic aim to eradicate illiteracy and to impart literacy to millions of Indians in the age bracket of 15-35 years. The National Literacy Mission Authority and Ministry of Human Resources and Development guides and overlooks the working of the National Literacy Mission.
Three bodies are responsible for the working of the National Literacy Mission. The three bodies come into existence legally in 2010 and have been working efficiently sine then.
- General Council- It is the core body. It is headed by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development. This body supervises making and execution of policies by different institutions regarding education. It is also responsible for defining India’s welfare scheme for its citizens.
- Executive Council- It is headed by the Secretary (Elementary Education and Literacy) and consists of members of Planning Commission, Financial Advisor of human resource development, state directors of adult education and representatives of Parliament and certain NGOs. It is chiefly responsible for executing all programmes and policies laid down by the general council.
- Grants in Aid Committee- It are a sub-committee which looks into the application of grants needed for the implementation of policies regarding education. It is formed by Ministry Human Resources and Development and led by Secretary.
There are 3 flagship programmes under National Literacy Mission:
- Total Literacy Campaign (TLC) – the campaigns run predominantly to eradicate illiteracy in India. These are time-bound and cost-effective campaigns. The campaigns are implemented through district-level literacy committees.
- Post Literacy Programme (PLP) – post literacy programmes attempts to provided opportunities to neo-literates in the age group of 9-35 years who have completed their basic literacy course or have dropped out of primary schools or have passed Non Formal Education (NFE) programmes.
- Continuing Education Programme (CEP) – the aim of this programme was to maintain a continuous and life-long learning process. This scheme also aims at addressing the socio-economic situations of the community to provide infrastructure for larger development initiatives.
The two programmes Total Literacy Campaign (TLC) and Post Literacy Programme (PLP) came under one single project ‘Literacy Campaigns an Operation Restoration’ with the revitalization the programme on 30th September 1999.
The mission received its share of recognitions. It was honoured with UNESCO Noma Literacy Prize in 1999. It also received appreciation for its efforts to raise the quality of primary education in schools.


What would happen if you tried to slide across the cement in your tennis shoes? You probably wouldn’t move much and you might even trip, right? What if you tried to slide across a wooden floor wearing only socks? Or slide across a sheet of ice in your boots? You’d probably slide right along. Why is it easier to slide across ice or a wooden floor than cement? The answer is (drumroll, please): FRICTION. Friction is a force that holds back movement of an object – in this case, you. The rougher a surface, the more friction.The smoother a surface, the less friction.
- Liquid smooths out a surface, creating less friction. For example, it’s harder for a car to stop on a wet road than a dry one because the water creates a barrier between the car and the road. The tires don’t have as much contact with the road.
- Oil in a car engine lubricates the parts so they experience less friction. Friction causes heat, which can damage a car engine.
- When one object rubs or slides against another, it slows down. The energy is changed from moving (kinetic) energy to heat energy. When you rub your hands together, for example, your hands get warm.
- Friction: The resistance that occurs when two objects move against each other.
- Barrier: Something that prevents movement.
- Lubrication: To apply an oily substance to reduce friction.
Question and Answer
Question: Can we predict how much friction will occur between two objects?
Answer: Yes. Several things determine how much friction there is. First, the rougher something is the more friction it will create. Try rubbing your hand over sandpaper. It’s hard to do, right? Now rub your hand over a piece of smooth paper. Less friction! How much force is used also determines friction. If you push hard on your bike pedals, you create more friction – and slow down more quickly – than if you press lightly. The weight – or mass – of an object also determines friction. Try blowing a feather across a table. Easy, right? Now try blowing a rock of the same size across the table. The rock has more mass, which creates more friction and makes it harder to move.
Head over to Mocomi to watch a short video about friction.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Friction Fun Facts for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Aug 2017. Web. 21 Aug 2017. < http://easyscienceforkids.com/friction/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2017). Friction Fun Facts for Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from http://easyscienceforkids.com/friction/
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We will be changing our reading block a bit to have more of a focus on comprehension strategies. Students will hear a variety of different books during our 8-9 comprehension block and then focus on different comprehension strategies during read to self time. This weeks comprehension strategy is inferring (using prior knowledge and the text to form new ideas/knowledge). Our "book of the week" time will move to 11:45-12. We will focus on one or a pair (fiction and non-fiction) of books per week and dig into the social studies and science aspects of the book. This week we will be reading Dig, Dig, Digging and a childhood favorite of mine Mike Mulligan and Maryanne. We will be focusing on machines that help community workers over the next month or so. We will also sprinkle in some Black History Month books as well as 100th Day books.
I am working on changing our phonics instruction to focus more on small group needs. Students will be grouped based on phonics needs. Groups will be reviewing/learning short and long vowel sounds, consonant blends like bl, fr, spl, and word attack strategies like chunking (wonderful is won/der/ful).
We will be writing stories about different feelings this week. Students are expected to write a story about a time they felt a feeling like sad, mad, frustrated, happy, bored... They should be able to write 3-4 sentences. We are still working on the abstract idea of "What is a sentence?" and when do you put an end mark.
We will be learning numbers 21-79 this week. Students will learn how these numbers are represented by tens and ones like in 51 (5 tens and 1 one). Students will work on ordering numbers 21-79 too.
Machines that construction workers use.
IXL- pizza party after school with a friend
Raz-Kids- a brand new book
Students will "hopefully" be bringing home a baggie of letters on Monday. These letters can be sorted to form their spelling words. That is what all the index cards were for. Students can practice their spelling words by dumping out the letters and then making their spelling words from them. I will show them how to do it Monday so they will know.
I restarted the Dojo points and we have already started earning February Dojo points. As stated in the email yesterday, students getting more than 50 points will be able to use their extra points to buy things from the classroom store.
Happy "Super" weekend,


Use these 40 fluency task cards to help your students with their oral reading. Each card features a high-interest, informational text, short passage for students to read out loud. The cards were written with varying sentence types and lengths, numbers and measurements, and plenty of punctuation. You could also use these cards for other reading strategies such as paraphrasing, summarizing, finding the main idea, questioning etc.
These cards were made to be printed in color, but will print out fine in gray scale too. They should print out with even margins around the cards; however, because every printer is different, it is possible that you may need to adjust your printer settings. Selecting “actual size” or adjusting the size percentage should do the trick. Cut the cards apart using the dotted guidelines (discarding the bottom strip). Laminate if possible. Another option is to print on card stock
Contents of this set include:
• A “Fluency Four” poster using the PARE acronym (punctuation, accuracy, rate, expression)
• “Fluency Four” reminder cards (smaller versions of the poster for individual reference)
• 40 Fluency Fun! task cards
• One page of blank Fluency Fun Templates
• Cover card and three challenge cards to extend the learning
• Detailed student tracking sheet with PARE check off boxes
• Basic student tracking sheet
Common Core Standards addressed in this set:
These cards address all Reading Foundational Skills Fluency Standards for grades 3-5:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4A Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4B Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4C Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
• Task Card Category
• Context Clues Grades 3-4
• Figurative Language
• Parts of Speech Set 2
• Brain Breaks
Purchasing this product grants permission for use by one teacher in his or her own classroom. If you intend to share with others, please purchase an additional license.


Thursday, February 25, 2010
In the midst of one of our nation’s worst economic disasters, employment and job creation have been at the forefront of national, state, and local agendas. With unemployment well over 10%, citizens are demanding more out of their government to put people back to work and do more to improve wages. This was evident in President’s Barrack Obama’s State of the Union Address in January that almost entirely focused on job creation in the United States. As our nation’s businesses work to rebound, it’s clear that as a nation we have to look long and hard at creating the type of jobs that put Americans back to work, and pay a livable salary. Due to an increase in global forces, countries are now competing with one another for these ‘jobs’ of the future (‘green’ jobs, technology, marketing, etc.)
Knowing that k-12 education is the most fundamental national apparatus to prepare the next wave of citizens and business owners/managers with the skills, understandings, and attitudes necessary to help bolster the national economy, there needs to be a thorough examination of where ‘economic education’ fits into the curriculum. Furthermore, knowing that the marketplace is changing (due to both global and technological forces) we must ask our self as a nation whether our students are ready for this new global environment.
When looking closely at the different content areas, it’s clear that one area of study stands out in preparing the next wave of informed and skilled entrepreneurs and consumer citizens needed in these challenging economic times. Economics, public policy courses, global studies courses, and many other financial literacy courses are often housed in the social studies. For instance, as of 2010, all Ohio high school students must take course work in both economics and finances. The Ohio Department of Education has placed these courses under the umbrella of the social studies. The field charged with the preparation of informed and active democratic citizens has embraced the importance of students learning about key economic literacies such as consumption, production, and distribution (NCSS, Curriculum Standards, 2008). Now, under current economic pressures, states and national organizations are advocating the importance of the social studies to job creation and the nation’s economic health.
Harnessing the power of the social studies in a time of national need is not new. In fact, during WWII, the federal government used the social studies to “Mobilize a Nation to War.” No other discipline holds the capability to inform students and citizens of their rights and responsibilities in strengthening the republic. Thus, it is no surprise that the business community, legislatures, administrators, teachers, and institutions of the social studies are advocating a strong social studies education in bolster our nation’s economy.
What is a surprise is that while a strong social studies education holds so much promise in equipping future business owners/entrepreneurs and consumer citizens with the skills needed to invest in our country, the social studies has come under attack. In a time when the United States is engaged in two wars, an economic crisis, and critical political debates over the future of the nation, the social studies is being squeezed out of the curriculum. In elementary schools, the social studies is being eliminated due to an increased focus on reading, writing, and math (Wills, 2007; McGuire, 2007). What is most disturbing is that even when social studies is taught at the elementary level, it is often used only as an apparatus for literacy development (Maguth, Pending). This sort of approach completely ignores the call by the National Council for the Social Studies for elementary school teachers to infuse the many integrated disciplines of the social studies (history, geography, economics, global studies, etc.) in their teaching. The most influential journal for elementary school teachers, Social Studies and the Young Learning, advocates the importance of teaching key economic skills in their February, 2010 issue (see http://www.socialstudies.org/publications/ssyl ). However, with the social studies being marginalized and hijacked by an exclusive focus on literacy development in many elementary schools, these vital called forth economic literacies are often left out of teachers’ instruction.
At the high school and middle school level, the social studies has also come under attack. Due to a greater emphasis on teaching to standardized tests, social studies teachers often teach for rote memorization to increase scores on yearly tests (Heafner, 2006). Thus, the quality of social studies instruction can suffer greatly, making students dread their time in class (Shaughnessy & Haladyana,1985). This does little to further the mission of the social studies of fostering informed and active democratic citizens. Furthermore, with a national call to bolster STEM Education, and an increase in charter schools devoted entirely to Science and Math, the social studies is increasingly held hostage to a movement that devalues its worth and, at times, its existence.


We believe that maths should be a great pleasure.
We encourage children to have practical experience of new concepts and skills in mathematics with an emphasis on the teaching and learning of key strategies in basic numeracy, shape and space and calculation.
Our Mathematics curriculum is aimed at acquiring and understanding numeracy skills and applying these in measurement, space, shape and problem-solving investigations. We identify connections between number, such as the relationship between doubles and halves, to assist efficient calculations. We offer a balance of explicit teaching, jointly constructed understandings and independent learning. Children make decisions about choosing the correct strategy to use and critically evaluating its use. We give our children opportunities to explain their mathematical thinking, then build on their understanding to progress from concrete materials to pictorial and numerical representations.
Years 3 & 4
The children carry out a range of work and activities to develop their mathematical thinking. Place value, number bonds, fractions, decimal fractions, multiplication tables, time, money, problem solving, geometry and algebra investigations are all carried out.
Some children will have learnt all the multiplication tables by the end of year three and these children will continue to be challenged by extending their skills.
Others will need more practice and will be helped to consolidate their skills by using a variety of strategies.
As children become more competent with basic number skills we aim to stretch their problem solving skills. Furthermore, we aim to make our maths as practical and concrete as possible, by relating it to our immediate surroundings and the children's experiences when appropriate.
Years 5 & 6
We believe that maths should be a great pleasure, an opportunity for children to learn about problem solving, representing and modelling ideas, exploring puzzles, discussing and sharing strategies and developing their thinking skills.
It is important that the children in Years 5 and 6 are confident mathematicians, who know a range of strategies to tackle mathematical problems. We endeavour to hold daily mathematics lessons, in which the children are taught new strategies and concepts, given the opportunity to memorise these, before exploring and developing ideas further.


The Logical Progression Video: An Appealing Option for Educators
The creation of a logical progression video is a worthwhile project for any classroom from elementary school to online college classes. These interactive videos are the modern technology-based version of the "choose your own adventure" books, in which readers choose how the story continues from a selection of plot twists and turns. Possible applications to career skills and curriculum abound with this clever and intriguing technology. Logical progression videos uniquely engage students in the creative use of technology, decision-making, and curriculum.
Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington recently proved that logical progression videos can effectively capture the interest of student viewers. As noted in The Chronicle of Higher Education, the university posted an interactive video to its "Whitworth University Class of 2015" Facebook page.
To keep accepted incoming students interested in the university over the summer, Whitworth University posted the first video in "The Quest for the Golden Pine Cone" on June 30. Viewer interest grew as the school's mascot, the Whitworth Pirate, searched the campus for the golden pine cone and made some interesting discoveries along the way. The end of the video revealed that the pirate's next move depended on Facebook viewers' votes.
The interactive film seems to have been successful in drawing in a large number of viewers. The Facebook page's membership has increased 39% in the single month since the video's posting. The interactive video generated more than enough interest to accomplish the school's goal of retaining incoming students.
Logical progression videos have engagement value with viewers because they allow them to make an impact on the storyline. At regular intervals, the film presents the audience with several options on how the plot should continue. The Harvard Learning Objects Lab has found that the logical progression video is an effective tool "to help students interact with the learning material, give feedback, value or get excited about featured content, identify or differentiate between information resources, strategize approaches to research (such as critical evaluation, etc.), among other things."
Interactive films are also genuinely cost-effective. Students may record the short videos with a digital camera and then post them to the internet via YouTube. YouTube provides a free venue for the creation of "choose your own adventure" videos, which are connected by inserting hyperlinks to several other YouTube videos into the first. Richard Byrne walks educators through three simple steps to linking YouTube videos on his website Free Tech For Teachers.
Interactive videos allow for extreme flexibility in curriculum and student participation. Teachers can use the videos to explore any subject matter imaginable. They may create a math problem-solving quest, a twisting literary plot, a hunt for scientific elements or historical artifacts, or a review of ethical situations. They can also use the films to engage students in the dramatic and technical aspects of the films' creation. Students may take on the roles of scriptwriters, actors, cameramen, film editors, and YouTube uploaders, as well as joining the film's eventual audience.
Logical progression videos also have the potential to draw on many useful problem-solving skills. The video's creation requires student creativity and critical thinking. Students must carefully map several paths through the video to each possible outcome. They gain an understanding of the logical paths of cause and effect while they work. The interactive medium allows students to watch their own creation take unexpected paths and then make adjustments to the storyline as needed. As the film's creators, rather than merely its viewers, students become much more closely involved with the project.
Whatever subject the interactive videos are meant to teach, they have the added benefit of integrating the subject matter with important career skills. Students can learn to create and refine a product, employ logical reasoning, and use technology for a creative project. They gain experience in these real-world skills while also reinforcing the subject matter through the repeated viewing and editing of the film.
It's important to stage an interactive video project in a way that allows it to make its full impact on students. Here are some guidelines from The Harvard Learning Objects Lab for creating the most effective "choose-your-own-adventure movie" possible:
- It is customized to suit the needs and interests of a very specific audience.
- It will be viewed in a classroom setting with clickers for voting on the next scene.
- Novelty and active engagement is paramount.
- Necessary details can be conveyed concisely.
- People/actors will be featured.
- The entertainment value of your content will balance nicely with its educational value.
- Content will be delivered through storytelling or a problem solving scenario.
- Information presented cannot be clearly or meaningfully conveyed with simple still images and text.


Last year, I wrote that the word “bandwork” should be recognized as an “official” word and thus included in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. The purpose behind my proposal relates to the issue of music advocacy as it applies to school funding of music programs. It’s important that we recognize and use bandwork as an “official” word because words and terms are vitally important in effective advocacy.
While effective music advocacy is critical, due to a recent occurrence, this issue has now become personal.
Why should we care whether bandwork becomes an “official” word?
For too long, it has been the athletic community, particularly the football community, that has driven and shaped the dialogue regarding which activities are most effective in instilling in participants, the ability to collaborate and work together as a group. The fact is, football in particular, and sports in general, are no more effective at instilling such characteristics as is participation in music activities.
I have been on five person basketball teams working together to achieve a common goal of winning a game. I have also been in a five person band working together to achieve an agreed upon sound. And in both cases, the lessons learned – discipline, communication, personal and shared responsibility, persistence and sacrifice – are identical. Yet, the music community has remained silent regarding the notion that sports are unique in its’ ability to teach such skills. By remaining silent, the music community has ceded that narrative to the sports “lobby”. Thus, it’s not surprising that when discussions regarding an activity’s potential to teach valuable communication and collaboration skills occur, all of the attention is focused on team sports’ potential to do so, while music’s potential to do the very same things is largely ignored.
It’s time to tell the other side of the story. And that starts with terminology. Words and terms matter. It is time that music advocates begin to recognize, and, for lack of a better term, “brand” music in a way that more effectively describes its value as an educational tool. A good starting point would be to recognize, promote and actually begin using the term bandwork, which should be defined as “the cooperative effort by musicians to achieve an agreed upon sound.”
In short, at a time when competition for educational funding is becoming more intense, it is imperative for music education advocates to be more focused and strategic in promoting music’s ability to teach the types of skills necessary to succeed in the more collaborative workplace and culture of the future.
To date, my motivation to recognize and include “bandwork” in the dictionary has been exclusively about music advocacy.
That has changed. It’s now personal.
I was recently engaged in a heated game of Scrabble. The score was close and the game was nearing its end with only a handful of letters in the common pile remaining. I needed a good word. Looking at the letters in my hand and then at the board, it appeared, plain as day. I had the letters to spell it – Bandwork. And, it was worth 18 points! Add ‘em up: B for 3, A for 1, N for 1, D for 2, W for 4, O for 1, R for 1 and K for 5. Not only that, but it would have qualified for a triple word value. That’s a whopping 54 points! I would have easily won that game.
But as anyone who has played Scrabble knows, if your word does not appear in the dictionary, you cannot use it. Go ahead and look it up. It’s not there. This, despite the fact that millions of people intrinsically understand what it means and have benefitted from exposure to it.
So now the “Campaign for Bandwork” is no longer simply about music advocacy.
It’s also about Scrabble. And now it’s personal.


The first favela, or hillside shantytown, appeared on the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro over 100 years ago.
In the late 18th century, the first settlements were called bairros africanos (African neighborhoods), and they were the place where former slaves with no land ownership and no options for work lived.
Over the years, many freed black slaves moved in. However, before the first settlement called "favela" came into being, poor blacks were pushed away from downtown into the far suburbs.
Most modern favelas appeared in the 1970s, due to rural exodus, when many people left rural areas of Brazil and moved to cities. Without finding a place to live, many people ended up in a favela. Despite numerous official attempts to eradicate these hand built renegade suburbs, housing the poorest of the poor, they have multiplied over the past century.
Today there are more than 600 favelas, where one in five Rio residents lives. São Paulo also has a large number of favelas.
The favelas are units of irregular self-constructed housing that are occupied illegally. They are usually on lands belonging to third parties, and most often located around the edge of the cities, often crowded onto hillsides. Residences are built without permission or a license and are often disorganised, without numbered streets, sanitation networks, electricity, a telephone service or plumbing. In recent years favelas have been troubled by drug-related crime and gang warfare. In the past the authorities have taken a number of steps to reduce problems in favelas. They have set up self-help schemes, with the local authority providing local residents with the materials, such as breeze blocks and cement, needed to construct permanent accommodation.
The local residents provide the labor, the money saved can be spent on providing basic amenities such as electricity and water. However a recent campaign is threatening the existence of the favelas, which are home to 1.1 million of Brazils poor. The favelas are close to some wealthy areas of cities and these residents are keen to evict the poor from their homes. Officials are citing a variety of reasons including environmental protection, land ownership disputes and concerns over the safety of those living in the hilltop favelas. However Jose Nerson de Oliveira vice president of the favelas in Rio de janeiro has said, 'It isn't about land or trees or anything like that. The simple fact is they don't want the poor close to them'.
Despite the negativity and history of the Favela's there are kids there full of life that has something to offer our world. We want to focus on them. To encourage them and help them to reach their dreams.
Our program in Borel and Gramacho is ran by Pedro and Nadia Barbazza, who have over 20 years experience working with development.
Our program demonstrates love through supporting the transformation of society in education, healthare, government, economics, art, and other aspects. Understanding the need for structural changes in society as a whole, our program redirects focus on human quality. Unfortunately, the majority of the Brazilian population lives in unjust social and economic structures.
Our organization is not tied to any political group, but we recognize the political importance in creating changes for the better.
In each of our projects we desire to help build a type of justice where a child living in the favela would not be able to study and have access to music education is afforded this opportunity through our project.
One of our main goals is to prepare youth for the labor market, thereby generating self-sustaining income earning within the community. We desire to meet people’s physical, mental, social and spiritual needs. Although Gramacho is known for violence and drug trafficking, we believe in spreading peace and hope and bringing life to this community.


The Poetry of Science: The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science for KIDS edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong
Synopsis: If your kids love science, this book is for them! THE POETRY OF SCIENCE: THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR SCIENCE FOR KIDS features 248 poems by 78 award-winning and popular poets.
Need inspiration for a science fair project? You’ll find it here. Curious about ecosystems? Dive in! There are poems about push and pull, chemistry, energy, math, computers, inventions, famous scientists, experiments, imagining the future, and more!
This book is a companion book to The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science (Teacher Edition)—an NSTA Recommends title—with 30 additional Bonus Poems. Use this book with the Teacher Edition, or let kids enjoy these poems all by themselves!
Published: December 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1937057985


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Science >> Earth Science for Kids
Earth Science for Kids
Weather - Hurricanes (Tropical Cyclones)
What is a hurricane?
A hurricane is a large rotating storm with high speed winds that forms over warm waters in tropical areas. Hurricanes have sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour and an area of low air pressure in the center called the eye.
Different Names for Hurricanes
The scientific name for a hurricane is a tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclones go by different names in different places. In North America and the Caribbean they are called "hurricanes", in the Indian Ocean they are called "cyclones", and in Southeast Asia they are called "typhoons."
How do hurricanes form?
Hurricanes form over the warm ocean water of the tropics. When warm moist air over the water rises, it is replaced by cooler air. The cooler air will then warm and start to rise. This cycle causes huge storm clouds to form. These storm clouds will begin to rotate with the spin of the Earth forming an organized system. If there is enough warm water, the cycle will continue and the storm clouds and wind speeds will grow causing a hurricane to form.
Parts of a Hurricane
- Eye - At the center of the hurricane is the eye. The eye is an area of very low air pressure. There are generally no clouds in the eye and the wind is calm. Don't let this fool you, however, the most dangerous part of the storm is at the edge of the eye called the eye wall.
- Eye wall - Around the outside of the eye is a wall made up of very heavy clouds. This is the most dangerous part of the hurricane and where the highest speed winds are. The winds at the eye wall can reach speeds of 155 miles per hour.
- Rainbands - Hurricanes have large spirally bands of rain called rainbands. These bands can drop huge amounts of rainfall causing flooding when the hurricane hits land.
- Diameter - Hurricanes can become huge storms. The diameter of the hurricane is measured from one side to the other. Hurricanes can span a diameter of over 600 miles.
- Height - The storm clouds that power hurricanes can become very tall. A powerful hurricane can reach nine miles into the atmosphere.
The structure of a hurricane
Where do tropical cyclones occur?
Tropical cyclones occur over the ocean in areas near the equator. This is because there is plenty of warm water in these areas to allow the storms to form. There are seven major areas in the world that tend to produce tropical cyclones. See the map below.
Locations of tropical cyclones throughout the world
When do hurricanes occur?
Hurricanes that form in the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean occur between June 1st and November 30th each year. This is called hurricane season.
Why are hurricanes dangerous?
When hurricanes strike land they can cause huge amounts of damage. Most of the damage is caused by flooding and storm surge. Storm surge is when the ocean level rises at the coastline due to the power of the storm. Hurricanes also cause damage with high speed winds that can blow down trees and damage homes. Many hurricanes can develop several small tornados as well.
How are they named?
Hurricanes in the Atlantic are named based on a list of names maintained by the World Meteorological Organization. The names go in alphabetical order and the storms are named as they appear. So the first storm of the year will always have a name that starts with the letter "A." There are six lists of names and each year a new list is used.
Tropical cyclones are categorized according to the speed of sustained winds.
Interesting Facts about Hurricanes
- Tropical Depression - 38 mph or less
- Tropical Storm - 39 to 73 mph
- Category 1 - 74 to 95 mph
- Category 2 - 96 to 110 mph
- Category 3 - 111 to 129 mph
- Category 4 - 130 to 156 mph
- Category 5 - 157 or higher mph
- Hurricanes rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. This is due to the rotation of the Earth called the Coriolis effect.
- The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used for the first letter when naming hurricanes.
- The names are alternated between boy and girl names.
- Weather forecasters draw a cone showing where they think the hurricane is most likely to travel.
- You can always find out the latest information on hurricanes at the website of the National Hurricane Center which tracks and forecasts hurricanes.
Take a ten question quiz about this page.
Earth Science Subjects
Science >> Earth Science for Kids


by Nana Kinno
Most child and parenting experts will agree that movement is a crucial part of children’s early development, as it is their first means of self-expression and spatial understanding. Through music and dance, children acquire invaluable physical and social skills, at the same time gaining mental stimulation that will enhance their level of creativity. Kids love to watch other kids, but they learn equally from mimicking their own parents—their number one role models. Kids also enjoy watching their parents have a good time.
So, does this mean you have to enroll your child in ballet, tap dancing, piano, and singing lessons? Not necessarily—sometimes you need look no further than within your own home. A relaxing yet fun environment can be created anywhere, as it begins in your mind. Think of a favorite song—the kind that floods you with precious memories, puts a smile on your face, and fills you with warmth every time you hear it. This song should move you, or trigger emotions within you.
Whether it’s We are Family or Dancing Queen, Macarena, New York, New York, or Bohemian Rhapsody, all songs go from ‘simmer’ to ‘boil over’ point. As the song begins and it’s simmering, sway side-to-side and lay low to the monotone beat and rhythm. As it reaches the boil over point—or what’s usually the main chorus—put your hands in the air, reach up, and jump. Simply put, duck down for low notes, and reach high for high notes. When in doubt, put on YMCA. If only The Village People knew what a smashing hit they’d be among toddlers (or perhaps they did)!
The movements described above are loosely based on a technique used in music education called eurhythmics (also known as rhythmic gymnastics), introduced by Swiss musician and educator Émile Jaques-Dalcroze in the late 19th to early 20th century. A method now widely used in public schools across the United States, eurhythmics encourages one to learn and experience music by incorporating movement. It is a way for one’s eyes, ears, mind, and body to feel the same rhythm.
Dancing and singing with your child (even off-key) is indeed the key to a healthier and happier relationship for years to come, and it even acts as a great stress reliever. And who among us doesn’t want to shake off a bit of stress at the end of a long day?


This year has been quite the journey for many teachers when it comes to numeracy and technology. Great learning has taken place, with many stories to share. It is these stories that can continue to support others in their learning journey; as well as act as an excellent reflection piece for my own journey. So what better way to share then through another #peel21st blog hop! The following is my own reflection on combining technology with numeracy; but be sure to check out the other blog posts by other amazing #peel21st educators about their own reflections.
We are bombarded regularly with numbers and data in all walks of life. Whether it is financial information, contact details, mathematical equations, spreadsheets, graphs, addresses, etc., we can easily come across hundreds of sets of data in a single day. One of the difficulties in understanding all this information is processing it in your mind and providing some context for it. This has always been a difficulty for myself, where upon being presented with such data the words "Okay, how much is that really?"will regularly be uttered.
However, one of the tools I find to be extremely beneficial in understanding such large sets of numbers has been through infographics. In the past Excel was one of the only ways to visualize data (scary I know!), but now we have such tools like Piktochart, Ease.ly, Infogr.am that can create some really stunning presentations (just search 'Infographics' on Google, or see below)
I have found many other educators have come to appreciate these tools as well, and students especially. A conversation I had with Chef Marelli not too long ago is evidence enough. We discussed how recipes have lots of numeracy in them - weights, measurements, sizing, scale, etc., and for many students this can be a struggle. However, looking at this information through an infographic lense, students can come to understand all these concepts much more effectively; and produce a fine tasting dish as a bonus!
So whether you are in English, Math, Social Science, Technology, Phys Ed, or any other subject area, Infographics can be a great way to demonstrate learning; and allow for a greater understanding of data across all curriculum. Yes Math may be a focus, but that doesn't mean we can't use something like infographics to work on numeracy skills in any subject, and become 'Super' as a result!
Be sure to check out the other awesome #peel21st bloggers!


Video Games in the Classroom – Teaching the Scientific Method to Digital Natives – OpenEducation.net
Teaching scientific method to digital natives.
Technology makes art education a bigger draw
Article in eschoolnews that examines technology in art and how it’s increasing the enrollment in art classes and degree programs, as well as how it’s changing the teaching of art concepts in elementary and secondary level art classes.
CITE Journal – Editorial
Connecting Informal and Formal Learning Experiences in the Age of Participatory Media (article by Bull, Thompson, Searson, Garofalo, Young, Lee, and Park)
Open Thinking Wiki
Wiki of resources for high school students in the area of digital citizenship. Includes : cyberbullying, social networking, online safety and ethics, and critical media literacy.


What does it mean to be a modern female artist?
I’m left asking this question after reading a blog entry on MoMA’s website. The writer Beth Harris, Director of Digital Learning at MoMA, discusses Linda Nochlin and MoMA’s recent publication Modern Women: Women Artists at The Museum of Modern Art. The blog entry made me want to investigate why the MoMA is pushing for women artists this summer and the history behind their motivation.
A quote from MoMA’s website: “From The Museum of Modern Art’s founding by three pioneering women in 1929 to the disruptions and interventions of the 1960s and 1970s by women artists drawing attention to their own lack of representation in the Museum to contemporary work by women of the postfeminist generation, the history of women at MoMA is inextricable from the history of the institution.” This is a remarkable and honest statement.
However, this has been an issue for quite some time. Linda Nochlin is a critic, writer, professor, art historian, and leader in feminist art history studies who has been discussing this topic for years. She wrote the groundbreaking essay Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? which explored the reasons behind the absence of women in art history. Currently, Nochlin is the Lila Acheson Wallace Professor of Modern Art at the Institute of Fine Arts/New York University. She is also a contributing editor of Art in America. Nochlin has been a champion to women artists by effectively communicating their struggle.
Aruna D’Souza, Associate Professor at Binghamton University, expands the discussion from Nochlin and currently discusses the feminist analysis of art history in a video on MoMA’s website. Ms. D’Souza was one of fifty persons chosen to write an essay in MoMA’s new book. She points out how the issue is tied into an institutional bias. For example, in the past women weren’t allowed the same access to art education. However, when women were allowed that access their opportunities in major institutions were limited. Women artists started to employ different strategies such as 1970’s performance art. For example, artists like Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, and Nancy Spero come to mind.
So where does that leave a new generation of women artists? Hopefully, gender will be acknowledged on both sides. When equality truly becomes equal, an all female show won’t be a big deal…


Actively participating in music has far-reaching benefits for everyone regardless of age. Young children benefit from music lessons because making music improves their development of motor skills, and increases their brain power. School-age students do better academically because of participating in music programs. Active music making is an important creative outlet for adults. It helps reduce stress, fights disease and adds years to your life. For seniors participating in making music helps stave off depression, improves overall health and well-being, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, fights the effects of Alzheimer’s, dementia and other conditions.
Music lessons are truly for everyone!
Find out more about the benefits of music education in the presentation below. You can also check out our "Did You Know" PSAs on our Youtube Channel.


Anthropologists, social psychologists, neuroscientists and social scientists debate the impact of things that affect personal beliefs. Although scientists do agree that intelligence, brain development, culture, education and experience affect the development of personal belief systems. Understanding how humans form beliefs helps businesses, agencies and schools deal with people as individuals and groups.
Attitudes, Opinions and Beliefs
People have general attitudes about a variety of general topics and then use this collection of attitudes to create a specific opinion about a narrow topic. The person then uses a group of opinions to shape firm values as part of a belief system. Attitudes include feelings, for example, about the best restaurant for specialty food or the best type of seasoning for poultry. People develop opinions about supporting political parties and selecting brands of cars based on a number of attitudes about voting and driving. Beliefs, however, include closely held values that rarely change such as the belief in a specific religion. People frequently change attitudes and occasionally opinions, but rarely do individuals change beliefs, according to therapist Steve Sisgold reporting in ''Psychology Today.''
Cultural and Home Influences
Parents, parenting practices and family culture help influence beliefs, including adopting a religion and child-rearing practices. The general culture of the family also affects personal beliefs, and the amount of early exposure to the culture shapes important values. Native cultures, including some Native American and Hawaiian people for example, teach children respect for the environment and this frequently influences personal beliefs about the use of natural resources, according to the Northern Arizona University Land Use History of the Colorado Plateau. Some cultures and people belonging to religious groups avoid the use of elements of modern medicine based on belief systems.
Education and Formal Training
Exposure to the beliefs of others and the amount and type of formal education influence belief development. Some societies avoid formal schooling in favor of family training. Families sometimes insist on sending children to special religious schools in place of attendance at public schools. These groups believe formal training and education shapes beliefs, and argue that instruction by people outside the family, culture or religion confuses children in shaping their beliefs. Some people refuse to send children to school and homeschool to ensure training and education meets family beliefs and values, according to Robert Kunzman of the Indiana University School of Education in a 2010 issue of the "International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education."
Experiences help shape personal beliefs, but scientists disagree on the importance of the real-life learning and the development of values or beliefs. Research done by neuroscience Joel Winston of the Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience and psychologist Matthew Lieberman of the University of California, as reported in a 2005 "The Guardian" article, place learning experiences at the top of the list of influences that develop personal beliefs. Learning experiences, however, need not be personal to influence beliefs for many. People also use things that happen to family and friends and historical events as learning experiences to shape beliefs, according to the New South Wales Department of Education and Training.
- The Guardian: Where Belief is Born
- New South Wales Department of Education and Training: Personal Values, Belief and Attitudes
- Psychology Today: Life in a Body
- Northern Arizona University Land Use History of the Colorado Plateau -- Native Americans and the Environment: A Survey of Twentieth Century Issues with Particular Reference to Peoples of the Colorado Plateau and the Southwest
- University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine: Ethics in Clerkships
- International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education: Homeschooling and Religious Fundamentalism
- Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images


Assessing ourselves and our students can be a valuable tool in furthering everyone’s education (Fink, 2013). Unfortunately, too many classes wait until the final exams and end of course evaluations to do any data collecting, and by then there is no more time to address concerns (Nilson, 2010).
Value to Learners
Twenty years ago, I was on my way through college seeking a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology. One class was on comparative anatomy. I enjoy learning how and why things work, so I did quite well in that class. I received an A on all the tests, including the final. I was surprised when my final grade on the course was a B. I went to the professor’s office during his office hours only to find him gone, but the grades for a major project were posted by the students’ ID numbers on his office door. I scanned through the list and found that I had scored a C, and with that project counting 40% of the total grade, that explained my B for the course.
What had gone wrong? Why was my score so low? I thought I had followed all the directions and done all the right things but apparently not, and because there was never feedback on the assignment, I never learned why.
During my second round through college, I worked on a post-baccalaureate in elementary education and maintained an A average for the entire two years. In one class, the feedback from the professor was generic. I received comments like “Good job! Keep it up!” Although that was encouraging, I was not sure what it was I was supposed to keep doing. In the end, I had more information in my head, but I really did not gain much from the class.
A second course had multiple little assignments, and the feedback on each was detailed and provided me not only with a description of things I did well but also things that I needed to work on. The grading was much more involved, and for the first time in that degree plan, I had to work hard for that A. I learned more from the second than from the first.
Frequent formal or informal assessments can be a great benefit to students by letting them know if they are on the right path or if they can improve by changing specific things. That would be kinder and more effective than waiting until the very end of the course.


Question: How can teachers assess students’ proficiency in expressive reading and reading fluency?
Answer/Quote: “Teachers can periodically have students tape-record their oral reading. (Routrman, 1988). Ideally, students should be given the option to choose the selection they want to read, to rehearse it, and, when ready, to tape-record their performance. Tapes of students’ oral reading provide teachers with information about students’ expressive reading and reading fluency.”
“If students are not choosing a variety of texts or if teachers want to determine whether students can read more difficult texts, teachers can also ask students to read designated texts.” P. 195.
Comment: Note that students should be given the opportunity to rehearse what they plan to read. Another activity that is appropriate for both ESL students and students whose native language is English. RayS.
Title: “Assessing the Literacy Development of Second-Language Students: A Focus on Authentic Assessment.” Georgia Earnest Garcia, pp. 180-205. In Kids Come in All Languages: Reading Instruction for ESL Students. Eds. K Spangensberg-Urgschat and R Pritchard. Newark, DE: IRA. 1994.


FREE Interactive Rainbow Bridge Quiz – Fun Quizzes for Kids Online
Enjoy this Easy Science for Kids Rainbow Bridge Quiz – you’ll get your quiz score after completing this FREE online interactive quiz on Rainbow Bridge. You need to answer all the questions to be able to get your score. You can do this fun Rainbow Bridge quiz again, till you get the perfect score and become a quiz champion!
Tip: To get it right the first time, read the page with fun facts about the Rainbow Bridge.
About Our FREE Online Rainbow Bridge Quiz
Our easy science quizzes are a free online quiz resource for teachers and educators of kids in elementary school, grammar school and preschool. This fun Rainbow Bridge quiz helps your kids learn fun facts about the Rainbow Bridge while enjoying this FREE fun kids science quiz.
If your kid is being home-schooled, or is interested in learning about the world we live in, then this is a fun yet educational activity, with reading comprehension benefits for grade one to grade five kids. Kids will enjoy competing against their classmates and friends, to see who scores better, doing this entertaining free online quiz on the Rainbow Bridge.
As a reading comprehension fun activity for your kids, you can set a timer to encourage kids to do the reading comprehension faster and better, or you set a restriction on the number of times the kids can read about the quiz topic, before they do the actual fun science kids quizzes we offer.
Younger kids who cannot yet read or write, such as Pre-K kids, Kindergarten kids or Preschool kids, will benefit from doing this and our other fun interactive online quizzes, as a listening comprehension activity; you read out to them about the topic and then read the quiz question and answers. You will select the Rainbow Bridge quiz answer they think is correct, and at the end you get the quiz score. Your child can try doing the Rainbow Bridge quiz again, till he or she gets the perfect score faster, as he or she learn to listen more carefully and develop a better memory and attention span!
Enjoyed doing this free online quiz about the Rainbow Bridge? Check out all our other fun Easy Science Quizzes for Kids and learn about the world for kids. Get lengthy info on the Rainbow Bridge here.
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Canada is a country, consisting of ten provinces and three territories, in the northern part of the continent of North America. Canada's common border with the United States forms the world's longest land border.
It extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres (3.85 million square miles) in total, making it the world's second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area.
A multitude of languages are used by Canadians, with English and French (the official languages) being the mother tongues of approximately 60% and 20% of Canadians respectively. The level of literacy in Canada is very high, almost 96%. Special emphasis has been laid on education by the government of Canada.
Education In Canada
The education system is divided into three tiers: Elementary education, Secondary education, and Higher education.
The education system in Canada encompasses both publicly-funded and private schools, including: community colleges/ technical institutes, career colleges, language schools, secondary schools, summer camps, universities and university colleges.
Education is a provincial responsibility under the Canadian constitution, which means there are significant differences between the education systems of the different provinces. However, education is important to Canadians, and standards across the country are uniformly high.
High Quality Education
Education institutions are not officially ranked in Canada, but you will find quality institutions across the country. When choosing your school in Canada, consider the type, size and location of the institution. If you are interested in a particular area of study, investigate which schools have more to offer in that discipline.
Canada is one of the world's top immigration destinations with over 200,000 new arrivals coming under the Canada immigration system every year.
You may obtain study permit forms in your country of origin at the Canadian Embassy, High Commission or Canadian Education Centre. Applications and documentation must then be submitted to the nearest visa office.
Work After Studies
Once the student got visa and after completing two years course, they may be eligible up to 3 years open work permit. After completing 1 year of open work permit in that they can work full time and can apply for permanent residency for Canada through various immigration programs like
- Canadian Experience Class category
- Federal (38 occupation list)
- British Columbia


Colossus of Rhodes Facts
The Colossus of Rhodes is a statue built on the Greek island of Rhodes. It was built between 292 and 280 BC. It was a depiction of the Greek titan God of the Sun, Helios and constructed to celebrate the victory against the ruler Cyrus. The word Colossus means ‘a statue much bigger than life size’. The statue was one of the seven wonders of ancient world. It was created by Greek sculptor Chares of Lindos. The statue stood tall upon a white marble pedestal which is approximately 15 metres high. It was damaged from the earthquake.
Quick Facts: –
- The Colossus of Rhodes was approximately 98.4 feet high.
- The statue stood for a total of 54 years before getting destroyed by a massive earthquake in 226 BC.
- It was built as a symbol of freedom.
- The exterior of the statue was made mainly from metals iron and bronze and the interior was made from stone that was carved and sculptured.
- Pieces of the statue lay on the ground for around 800 years until it was robbed of its bronze by an Arab force.
- Ptolemy III, the King of Egypt offered to pay for reconstruction of the Colossus of Rhodes but Rhodians refused.
- In the 7th century A.D. the Arabs dismantled the leftovers of statue after conquering the Rhodians and sold it as scrap metal.
- Approximately 900 camels were used to carry away all the scrap metal.
- The Statue of Liberty has been referred as the ‘Modern Colossus’.
- The Colossus of Rhodes was not rebuilt because the Rhodians believed that Helios himself was angered by the Statue and caused the earthquake that destroyed it.
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LAWRENCE – Music students’ attitudes toward individuals with disabilities are more positive after they simulate having a disability, a University of Kansas study found.
Cynthia Colwell, a professor of music education and music therapy, recently published an article in the International Journal of Music Education that looked at what happened when music students were asked to simulate a disability.
Students training to be music therapists or music teachers were assigned to simulate one of the following disabilities: a one-arm amputation, lower-limb paralysis that required a wheelchair, a hearing impairment or a visual impairment. With one student simulating the disability and another acting as an aide, the pair had to be in a public place, such as a restaurant or grocery store, for at least 30 minutes each.
The students filled out a questionnaire before and after the assignment and wrote a reflection piece on their experience. This was followed by an in-class discussion.
Consistent themes emerged. Initially, many students were worried the assignment would be perceived as being disrespectful toward those with disabilities. And, some felt it was unnecessary to them developing an understanding or empathy toward their future clients or students.
But, after the exercise, students overall were positive about the experience and wrote that they felt more empathetic toward those with disabilities and gained insightful knowledge.
“Without fail, all of them came back and said, 'That was really cool’,” Colwell said. “They don’t necessarily like the experience, but they said, 'This will help me working with a student or client with a disability.'”
For nearly two decades, Colwell has researched different ways to better prepare therapists, teachers and schoolchildren to interact with individuals who have disabilities. Earlier studies looked at the benefits of sharing knowledge about a disability with classroom peers. Colwell then compared that approach to doing simulation experiences in the elementary general music classroom.
For the peer simulation exercise, elementary students read from sheet music that had jumbled words to simulate learning disabilities, other students used goggles that impaired vision, and some students were asked to simulate physical disabilities such as putting an arm in a sling to immobilize it.
“The kids were really engaged no matter what method we used. But what I found was there were more ‘aha moments’ when we put the kids in the simulation experience,” Colwell said. “After we did the simulation, it was a great opportunity for kids to really talk and have a much better understanding of what their peers were going through. Then we could lead a discussion on how they could be helpful.”
From there, Colwell moved to pre-service teachers, who have the benefit of passing positive attitudes onto future students.
“The primary goal is for students to be excited to work with children with disabilities and to see it as a potentially rewarding experience and not just a challenge,” Colwell said.
Because music teachers see a higher frequency of students with disabilities than a standard classroom teacher, Colwell said it is especially important for them to be comfortable. And music class is sometimes where students with disabilities feel the most at ease.
“Music is a medium with oral, visual and kinesthetic components. And, sometimes for children with disabilities, music is an area where they are at their best and where they can be successful,” Colwell said.
Colwell is now studying how a simulation experience compares to university students watching a video where master teachers in various music settings from elementary through high school describe their experiences with students who have disabilities. She is looking at which experience – the video or the simulation – has the most effect on university students’ attitudes.


Each audio-enabled VOX™ Book has an audio reader with complete narration permanently attached inside the front cover. It’s ready for listening directly from the book — no CD, no computer, no tablet.
Audio Improves Reading Effectiveness
Studies have found that pairing audio with print has a significant impact on reading performance. Adding audio narration
Adding audio increases reading comprehension by
over printed text alone.
Audio Improves Fluency
Listening to fluent readers and expressive narrations also provides emerging readers with strong, positive role models and helps develop their fluency.
Audio Increases Motivation
Audio adds an entertainment factor that makes learning to read fun and increases motivation by as much as 67% compared to reading with a printed text only.
Librarian and Teacher Approved
The books we feature are selected by teachers and librarians for their educational value and appeal to children from Pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade.
Whether used in a classroom for structured reading practice or borrowed from the library and shared at home for entertainment, each VOX Book is designed to capture a child’s attention and build literacy.
Hard-Working Non-Fiction with Exceptional Engagement
Our non-fiction readers capture children’s attention with high-interest topics supported by beautiful photography and narratives that feed curiosity.
Carefully designed to promote literacy development and build vocabulary, these non-fiction titles support Common Core objectives and strengthen reading skills across grade levels.
Simple layouts help younger children as they begin to read. As children advance, these readers are perfect resources for beginning research.
Picture Book Entertainment That Expands Understanding
With a mix of silly stories, clever word play and captivating characters, our picture books demonstrate the timeless appeal of a well-crafted story.
While children giggle and laugh, however, these books invite new perspectives and expose children to advanced concepts like inference, metaphors and exaggeration – all while building vocabulary and fluency.
The VOX Books combination of audio plus print helps build strong readers by improving:
The multi-sensory combination of print and audio has particular potential, however, to help readers who are struggling or reluctant.
Audio-Assisted Reading Programs Can Boost Skills Dramatically
A regular program of audio-assisted reading, in which a child repeatedly listens to a recording of a fluent reader while he or she reads along in a book, can help struggling readers make significant gains.
In one study in which audio-assisted reading played a key component, students gained an average of 2.2 years in reading achievement, after participating in the study for 27 weeks, or 3/4 of a school year.
Increasing Confidence and Motivation
Because children can use VOX Books unassisted, they develop a sense of independence and competency that helps support confidence.
And VOX Books’ combination of high-interest titles and engaging narrations, plus the intrinsic motivation factor of audio, make reluctant readers much more likely to follow reading guidelines and to enjoy independent reading time.
VOX Books are great for independent reading and student research. Our nonfiction titles are Common Core-ready.
And they’re perfect for supporting the Listen to Reading component of the Daily 5 program.
VOX FOR SCHOOLS
VOX Books are accessible and enjoyable, even to kids who aren’t natural book lovers.
Plus, they can be read alone or listened to alongside a parent.


← Time for holiday reading! Wed, April 05, 2017
It has been a busy and exciting term in the English department at St Mark’s, with students working hard, studying a range of exciting texts and many having enjoyed time with Author-in-Residence, Archie Fusillo, recently.
With the holidays coming up it is an important time for students to de-stress, enjoy time with family and friends, and refuel for Term 2. Year 11s and 12s should also be using the break to begin revising for exams, and to take advantage of the time away from school to work on assessments and current content without the restraints of timetables and the busy-ness of the school day.
I also encourage all students to take the time these holidays to read. Reading regularly is an essential part of literacy development, and many scientific studies have proven that reading has significant benefits on brain development and wellbeing. A quick Google will lead you to countless reputable articles and studies on this topic!
Proven Benefits of Reading:
- Meaningful mental stimulation
- Stress reduction
- Improving memory function
- Vocabulary development
- Improving analytical thinking skills
- Improving creative thinking skills
- Improving understanding of written language, grammar and spelling rules
- Improving sleeping patterns
- Increased capacity for empathy
- Improving the ability to sustain focus and concentration (which is especially important when these skills are essential for academic study and productivity in the workplace yet research suggests modern use of entertainment based technology can significantly impede this skill.)
Making Reading Enjoyable:
- Find books and authors your child enjoys
- Don’t give up because of one bad experience
- Allow time to read— give time to getting involved in the plot
- Read at bed time
- Read in a pleasant and comfortable place—by the pool, in the park, in bed, a comfy chair
- Set up a reading zone—beanbag, cool reading light etc.
- Enjoy a drink or coffee at the same time
- Make it a family event—kids are more likely to read if they see parents doing it
- Establish regular technology-free periods in the home
- Read the right books—help your kids find books that are age appropriate, interesting to them and not too easy or too difficult
- Associate reading with “breaking the rules”— occasionally allow a later bedtime, the use of a normally off-limits room or space, a special treat etc. while they are reading
- Allow fidgety kids to read while moving—on the trampoline, while exercising on a treadmill etc.
- Use audiobooks—in the car, on headphones, listen while doing a simple craft.
- Provide lots of books, often and regularly— and don’t give up! Keep persisting (gently)!
By Justine McGinnis, Acting Head of English


In general the New England colonies were strongly Puritan and valued the education of children. Although Rhode Island practiced religious tolerance, they were no different in this regard. Children learned to read using the Bible and the "New England Primer" under the tutelage of divinity students, ministers or even innkeepers. The school year lasted only four months.Continue Reading
The educational system set up in Massachusetts in 1647 is the foundation of America's public school system. Of all the New England colonies, however, Rhode Island was the only colony not to provide compulsory elementary education.
In the middle colonies of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the wealthy hired tutors for their children. A few limp efforts were made to provide for the rest, but until the mid-18th century, there were very few educational resources available for most children. However, Quaker communities in Pennsylvania did provide rudimentary elementary schools that taught reading, writing and arithmetic. Wealthy Philadelphia daughters received education in music, dancing, painting, singing, grammar and bookkeeping.
In the South, plantations and farms were so spread apart that community public schools were impossible. Instead, planters hired tutors to teach their children or sent them to England for their education. Poorer families taught their children the basics at home.Learn more about US History


NA Publishing is assembling a digitized assortment of digital and print magazines that seize the social consciousness of Hip Hop and Rap music: magazines that chart and assessment Hip Hop and Rap artists, musicians, DJs, leisure joints, break-dancing, scratching/turntablism, and block parties. Music concurrently reflects developments, beliefs, circumstances in society, and conjures up attitudinal development and social change. Traditionally oppressed teams are able to use the music to convey their plight and circumstances, and in that approach insurgent against both overtly and covertly oppressive conventionalities inside that society. Since its inception, Hip Hop has progressed to the purpose the place, to a certain extent, it governs tradition. Hip Hop Nation transforms from being a mere technique of commercial and consciousness promotion right into a formidable cultural power within itself that has a heavy hand in the building of each particular person and community identities.
Hip Hop artists reminiscent of Tupac are able to create a stability between the promotion of black rights and self-purportment within the face of questionable racism. To this end, Hip Hop tradition redefined cultural norms and practices nationwide by establishing new modes of studying, conduct, and social interaction. Street hip music education and street smarts” are straight associated to the culture surrounding Hip Hop music. Consequently, road training both colors the thematic parts of Hip Hop and is structured in flip by that what those themes usually promote.
Now media and leisure reminiscent of pop music, movie, and style are among the main forces transmitting culture to this era of Black Americans” (Kitwana 7). Pop cultures equivalent to Hip Hop are, arguably greater than anything, the voices of a whole technology of people from the nineties onward. Hip Hop can use Black nationalism to explore the challenges that confront African Americans within the put up-Civil Rights period” (Collins 20).


As a parent it is difficult to watch your child struggle with math homework. The nightly routine of completing the assigned homework may lead to frustration, confusion, and feeling overwhelmed. Math shouldn't be the dreaded evening chore. Instead it should be an opportunity for your child to apply previous knowledge to current understanding while completing the assigned homework tasks.
It is important to understand the core knowledge strands that comprise a student's mathematical learning. Whether your child is in second grade or a sophomore in high school these concepts are vital to mathematical understanding:
Counting and Cardinality - Counting, cardinal numbers, comparing numbers, and understanding quantities
Operations and Algebraic Thinking - Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, use of multiple operations, relation of operations to one another, factors, multiples, numerical expressions, patterns, and relationships
Number & Operations in Base Ten - Place value, sequencing, place value in arithmetic, place value in fractions and decimals, and applying and understanding relational place value skills
Fractions - Equivalence, ordering, building fractions, and arithmetic with fractions
Measurement and Data - Understanding measurable attributes, classifying, measuring length, telling time, representing and interpreting data, estimating, counting money, applying geometric measurement principles, using probability to evaluate outcomes, and converting measurements
Geometry - Identifying, analyzing, comparing, classifying, creating, and composing shapes with specific attributes, graphing points on a coordinate plane, understanding congruence and similarity, and using geometrical understanding to solve real life problems
Expressions and Equations - Algebraic expressions, reasoning with equations and inequalities, quantitative relationships, variables, radicals, integer exponents, and linear equations
Functions - Defining, evaluating, and comparing functions and modeling quantity relationships
Statistics and Probability - Statistical variability, distributions, random sampling, comparative references, probability models, and bivariate data
These skills are distributed among grade levels to provide a careful progression of skill attainment. Students are expected to master basic and prerequisite skills before moving on to more difficult concepts. These basic skills are then applied to current understanding to create ongoing learning and mastery. Tutors at Huntington Learning Centers use their deep understanding of mathematics and knowledge of how students acquire math skills to create customized tutoring sessions. Regardless of a student's current understanding or skill mastery, the professionals at Huntington Learning Centers can create a program that is ideal for cultivating basic academic skills.
There are several effective strategies that parents and students can utilize to improve academic skills, including:
Knowing the standards Each state and school district has different mathematical standards for each grade level. Understanding what your child is expected to master, and which specific skills are assessed, is crucial to cultivating strong academic skills. Taking the time to read and understand the standards documents will give you insight into essential academic skills and how these skills build upon one another.
Working the problems Math is learned by working the problems. Students must spend time in ongoing practice to master basic concepts, understand formulas, and connect math skills to prior learning. If your child is struggling with a specific skill you can generate multiple opportunities for ongoing practice. This repetition will build solid foundational skills over time.
Applying basic concepts True mathematical understanding occurs when a student is able to apply basic concepts to larger problem solving tasks. Many tasks require students to apply a variety of skills across mathematical strands. Consider a problem requiring a student to calculate elapsed time. This problem is far more complex than just reading the time on an analog clock. A student must be able to tell time to the minute, subtract, add, regroup, apply basic problem solving strategies, and participate in mathematical communication.
Asking for help If your child is continuing to struggle with the assigned math homework it may be time to ask for help. The professional tutors with Huntington Learning Centers are experts at understanding why a student is struggling in math. Assessment data is used to create a customized learning plan that incorporates both a student's strengths and weaknesses. Personalized tutoring sessions are carefully crafted to meet the specific needs of each student.


Expository Writing for Elementary Education Majors
Prerequisite:WRTG 150 (Writing and Rhetoric) or equivalent; college junior or senior status.
Description:Learning to write as professional educators and to teach writing to children. Best taken before the professional sequence. Library research paper. Online access to Brigham Young University library services.
Course Content:1. Writing and Teaching: "Twin Crafts"
2. Personal Voice: One's Distinctive "Sound"
3. Perspectives: Putting First Things First But Including Other Things as Well
4. Practical Applications: Using Writing to Get the Job Done
5. Considering Everyone: Making Writing and Lessons Accessible to All Populations
6. We Are Not Alone: Literacy As a Shared and Sharing Experience
7. Finding What We Want to Know: Initial Steps in the Research Process
8. Proposing and Persuading: Ways that Teachers Can Make Things Happen
9. Beyond Copying and Pasting: Dealing Critically with Information
10. Structures, Shapes and Sequences: Organizing a Paper, Article, or Report
11. The Champion and the Slob: Crafting Carefully and Obeying the Rules
Online Courses:Course materials are accessed online, and all assignments must be submitted online. Optional course readings may be available but do not include the self-check assignments or graded assignments.
Notes:Carries BYU GE Advanced Written and Oral Communication credit.
|ENGL 313: Expository Writing for EL ED Printed Course Readings||$ 20.00|


In the late 1970s, major US-orchestras had less than 5% women, in the 80s about 10%, in the 90s the percentage rose to 25% and today about 30% are women. The secret? With the change of gender constructions and orchestras' introduction of blind auditions into their hiring processes, the percentage started changing. In blind auditions, candidates play for a "gender blind" jury concealing their identity behind a screen. In order to make sure that the sound of their shoes do not tell their gender either, candidates are instructed to remove their shoes before entering the stage (via). Orchestras, however, are not the roots of gender construction in music. It is suggested to revise music education curriculum content encouraging women to play "male" instruments. Stereotypes, however, are not only created for women: "Frail women" on the harp, men in the brass section. In 2006, the first woman tuba player was engaged by a major US-American orchestra (Phelps, 2010). Applying blind auditions will not change gender constructions at their root, but they raise the probability that a woman will be hired by about 50% (Goldin & Rouse, 2000).
Goldin, C. & Rouse, C. (2000) Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of "Blind" Auditions on Female Musicians. The American Economic Review, September, 715-741
Phelps, A. L. (2010) Beyond auditions: gender discrimination in America's top orchestras. Iowa Research Online (via); photo via


What Do Students Learn From Arts Education?
In 1997, a longitudinal study was initiated to determine the impact of the arts on the lives of the participants. In this study, more than 25,000 students were evaluated over a course of ten years through high school. Those students with consistent participation in theatre arts consistently showed improved academic performance and significant increases in standardized test scores. In a 2013 article in the Washington Post by Lisa Phillips, the top skills children learn from the arts was discussed. They included the following:
Creativity – lean to approach tasks from different perspectives and to “think outside the box”
Confidence – build the confidence to perform in front of large audiences
Problem Solving – develop skills in reasoning and understanding
Perseverance – learning skills and techniques through practice; developing new skills
Focus – maintaining a balance between listening and contributing; improve concentration
Collaboration – practice working together for a common goal
Dedication – associate hard work and dedication with a sense of accomplishment
Accountability – learn that their actions affect other people; Gain a sense of responsibility
Receiving Constructive Feedback – learn that critique is a valuable experience and contributes to the success of the final piece
An arts educator with over 16 years’ experience, Lisa’s comments were driven by a concern over an obsession with science, math, technology and engineering in our school systems at the risk of losing art education and the skills that come from it. I think she makes a valid point. Our community theaters are more than just an entertainment venue; they offer a tremendous benefit for personal growth. Perhaps you know of someone who has or may benefit from active participation in the theatre. Reach out and get involved!
Community Partners Coordinator
Posted on November 23, 2016, in Academy at Civic Theatre, Waukesha Civic Theatre and tagged 2016-2017, 60th season, Academy At Civic Theatre, Accountability, Collaboration, Confidence, creativity, Dedication, Diane Sommers, focus, James S Catterall, John Iwanaga, Lisa Phillips, Perseverance, problem solving, Receiving Constructive Feedback, Richard Chapleau, Washington Post. Bookmark the permalink. Comments Off on What Do Students Learn From Arts Education?.


Use from School Entry Onwards
Adapts To The Way Children Learn
Literacy and Numeracy
Used In Over 5000 Schools
The Wave 2 & 3 Intervention Solution for Literacy and Numeracy
20% of your children are probably struggling with reading and maths. Thousands of schools use The Five Minute Boxes for literacy and maths – because they work!
All You Need is The Box
The Five Minute Box and The Number Box are proven multi-sensory systems for teaching early literacy and numeracy skills and assessing children for potential learning difficulties.
“@fiveminutebox my son has gone from struggling with maths to being described as a competent mathematician thanks to your resource“
E.H. via Twitter
Thousands of schools worldwide find Five Minute Box and The Number Box effective intervention solutions from school entry upwards.The tried and tested teaching methods help you provide Personalised Learning and are excellent for children with English as an additional language (EAL). They work alongside any phonics resource already in use. Children, teaching staff, and parents love working with the Five Minute Boxes.
How It Was Developed?
The Five Minute Box programme has been designed by Jane Kendall, a Special Educational Needs literacy consultant, as a teaching system to provide secure basic skills for reading, spelling and writing.