- Memory Makers. According to the National Association for Music Education, “Young children who take music lessons show improved memory over the course of a year, compared to children who do not receive musical training.”
- Stronger Academics. Studies also show that music improves a child’s success in all areas of academia. For example, “students in high-quality school music education programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of community,” says Nature Neuroscience.
- Transferable Skills & Learning. In The Benefits of Music Education, at PBS Parents, author Laura Lewis Brown explains, “Research has found that learning music facilitates learning other subjects and enhances skills that children inevitably use in other areas.” These areas include language development, increased IQ, and spatial-temporal skills.
- Brain Workout. Further, research indicates that the brain of a musician actually works differentlythan that of a non-musician. According to Dr. Eric Rasmussen, chair of the Early Childhood Music Department at the Peabody Preparatory of The Johns Hopkins University, “…that children involved in music have larger growth of neural activity than people not in music training. When you’re a musician and you’re playing an instrument, you have to be using more of your brain.”
Music lessons and music education in Delaware
Due to budget cuts, music programs are under intense pressure all across America. In Delaware, however, beginner and experienced players are able to continue their love of music at the Back to Basics Learning Dynamics Education Center in Wilmington.
Students of all ages, from beginner to experienced, can learn or improve their skills on a variety of instruments including:
- Brass instruments (trumpet, French horn, baritone horn, trombone, tuba)
- Guitar (acoustic and electric)
- Violin (beginner)
- Woodwind instruments (flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax)
To learn more about music lessons in Delaware, contact Back to Basics at 302-594-0754.


This course is designed to give the student an enriching and diverse instrumental music education. This class provides a number of performance opportunities for the student in a variety of settings. The daily objective of the course is to foster and promote musical growth through the playing of an instrument by the student. As a member of the band program, group effort and cooperation is necessary to a successful program. Band is a skilled effort in which each student is expected to show technical and musical growth throughout this course.
RBHS 9th Grade Academy Learning Experiences
By the end of the school year, all Young Kings will have the opportunity to:
* Enhance their reading proficiency by comprehending, evaluating, and critically analyzing print and non-print texts across a range of types and content areas.
* Adapt their communication in relation to audience, task, purpose, and discipline in order to construct effective arguments through written and oral expression.
* Engage in relevant and rigorous activities to work toward mastering grade-level standards in all core subjects.
* Exhibit Pre-AP level skills in all disciplines and demonstrate that they can apply critical and creative thinking skills in all content areas, with the support of instructional scaffolds when necessary.
Mr. Andre Batton
Music and Band Teacher
From the Teacher
As the teacher and band director of Music and Band my educational philosophy is that any student can create music in a way that expresses his heart and message.


Our Parent Partnership program is a comprehensive plan to tackle Houston’s literacy crisis from its core by engaging and educating parents to increase support for their child’s literacy development. Parents are encouraged and provided with Literacy Kits and additional skills to support their child’s learning from birth through high school, as well as to develop a literacy rich home environment.
Workshops are attended by parents of our Reading Intervention and Steps 2 Success program students. Parents connect with one another while participating in fun, free, hands-on activities that can also be used at home to expand learning. Each family chooses a children’s book to add to or begin their home library and also receives a Literacy Kit with materials to replicate activities . Not only do parents learn a variety of ways these materials can be used, but they also learn how their child can get the most benefit from the books they get to borrow each week.
Fun, interactive outreach events that provide materials, education, and activities to encourage reading as a “way of life”. Small group sessions offer support and foster relationship building through a hands-on activities involving reading and writing skills. A parent table containing various resources is also available at each event. Each child is able to choose three books to take home while parents leave equipped with Literacy Kits, as well as additional skills to support literacy development at home.
This program gets age-appropriate books into the hands of children who need them most! Students go home with books that they choose throughout the year to build their home libraries. Reading Intervention students choose one book per month for the duration of the program. Making It Better also provides books for winter break and end-of-year for all students in Reading Intervention, Lunch Bunch, and Steps 2 Success. Students in all programs also receive a backpack with a reading buddy (stuffed animal), school supplies, and activities or workbooks to help beat the Summer Slide.
This program addresses the Houston literacy crisis by promoting literacy development in our youngest children. Classes are held in apartment complexes or other community settings and are open to parents and/or caregivers and their children ages 6 months – 4 years. Classes are filled with fun activities designed to build vocabulary and promote school readiness through the use of songs, movement, storytelling, reading, and art. The importance of reading to your child each day is fostered through our weekly book giveaways and bookmarks with songs learned in class, as well as a monthly newsletter with ways to continue the reading development at home. Trained volunteers meet with parents/children twice each week for 45 min/session, October thru April.


Talk and Prepare for School
By Maureen Penko
When asked in July to write on the topic of 'Getting Ready for School', I thought of the warm days of summer that we still have left to enjoy. So let's begin with August and work into September!
There is time to learn a lot of vocabulary and have many experiences. How about going on a field trip to a strawberry pick, a vegetable garden, a farm, the park or to the lake. All of these experiences involve the following elements which are needed in getting ready for school:
Plan the list together.
Use the vocabulary.
Follow the routine.
Review the rules so all are prepared. The reward is the experience.
At school the teacher will follow the daily schedule on the white board. The vocabulary will be written out. The same routine is followed daily and the reward is the activity itself. Many of your activities will be experienced based. This develops the child in so many aspects from knowledge, confidence building as well as talking and sharing ideas.
My fondest memories of preparing for school were going to summer day camps. I remember packing the healthy snack with my children; reading the information sent home with them as to what to expect the next day; reviewing what they had done, and talking about the new friends they had met. The mind was a sponge and the experiences were kept in scrapbooks. We also practiced writing, cutting, gluing, tracing and painting - experiences in fine motor skill development.
At your Meet the Teacher, evening last spring, the school had a very detailed package given to you. The package contained what you need to know for the first day of school. If you did not receive a package, contact the school division office.
On the first day of school, your child's teacher will have information about the month ahead. There will also be class themes listed for the year. As the themes change, try to provide your child with some additional knowledge in the area. For example, if the first theme is leaves changing colour or apples, you can point out sizes, shapes and colours of leaves. Go to the grocery store and look at the apples. Talk about how all apples are not all green, how they grow, what you can do with them. Make a special apple dish such as apple crisp and encourage your child to watch and help as you peel the apples and talk about the core and seeds inside. Go to the library and look up some stories that include an apple theme. If you prepare your child with the language of a theme, they are more likely to be a confident participant in the class discussions.
School language is different than home language. Children will hear words such as attendance, snack time, work and play time, library, music, indoor and outdoor shoes and assembly.
If your child has 'Show and Tell' as part of their regular schedule at school, be sure your child is prepared before it is their turn. Once they have selected something to take for 'Show and Tell', let them practice with you. Give them suggestions as to what they might say...remember to keep it simple. Pretend to be the audience and ask them questions. Children are often eager to take something to 'Show and Tell', but may be overcome with shyness if they are not prepared.
For those of you who have read my articles before know that I love to include a child's story book into the theme. 'The Day the Crayons Quit', by Drew Daywalt is this month's story!
Neon Red was left by a pool, eight months ago during Duncan's family vacation. Yellow and Orange were melted together after Duncan left them outside in the sun.
Lastly, if you have any concerns about your child's speech or language skills be sure to let the teacher know. Early intervention can be the key to improving many speech or language problems.
Remember that if at any time you feel your child's Speech or Language development is delayed in comparison to their peers, be sure to contact a registered Speech-Language Pathologist. Don't wait.
Seven tips on how to take a screen-cation this summer
Summer Time Means Being Outside to Feel Good Inside
Talk and Prepare for School
Raise a reader with tips from Canada's biggest children's literacy program
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At Colorado Academy, music education is an integral component of the curriculum from the earliest grades. In our digital recording studio and composition lab, and in private lessons on many instruments, CA’s musicians-in-training assemble in Schotters Music Center to develop a love of various types of music, and experience the joy and satisfaction that come with making music of their own.
Through both vocal and instrumental music, students work toward comprehensive musicianship skills and are given the opportunity to grow into life-long musicians and music makers.
Music in Lower School
Beginning in Pre-Kindergarten, students begin making music by singing, dancing, and playing classroom instruments. By first grade, they are playing and improvising in drum and xylophone ensembles, reading iconic notation, and identifying elemental forms. Students continue to develop fundamental skills of singing, movement, and instrument playing, while learning foundational music notation concepts. By the fifth grade, students are singing in canon, performing complicated rhythms, improvising in a variety of capacities, and performing folk dances from around the world. Students may also choose to begin learning an instrument through private instruction in Lower School.
Music in Middle School
During Middle School, students have the opportunity to participate in sixth grade and Middle School choirs, where they develop individual and ensemble singing skills, and continue to explore music reading skills and concepts. Students participate in two choral performances each year, and also have the opportunity to audition as 8th graders for Gioventu, the specialty choir that meets after school. Private instrumental instruction is continued through the Middle School years.
Music in Upper School
Beginning in ninth grade, students may join Men’s or Women’s Chorus, the non-auditioned choirs for Upper School students. In tenth grade, students have the opportunity to audition for Chamber Choir, the advanced ensemble. From there, students who wish to further their choral experience may audition for three specialty groups: Chanteurs, Fratelli, and Sorella. Literature for all groups is chosen to challenge the adolescent singer’s musicianship and incorporate a variety of styles, genres, and musical eras. All choir students participate in weekly music theory instruction. Private instrumental instruction is continued through Upper School.
More than 14,000 private music lessons, with accompanying recital performances, are given every year for 47% of students in grades K-12. Private music lessons are offered for: piano, harp, violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, classical guitar, and music composition. Private voice lessons are available for students in grades 9-12.
Whether creating an audition recording or exploring the art and science of sound, students can create perfectly mixed audio recordings in our state-of-the-art sound and recording studio, located in CA’s Schotters Music Center.
CA offers a digital music composition lab with eight workstations, for instruction from grades K-12, as well as music composition courses. Students collaborate as they compose, arrange, and record music.


Raz-Plus provides a Reading Assignment area as well as several types of assessments.
Leveled Books - Developmentally appropriate online fiction and non-fiction leveled books at 29 reading levels. Students will be able to listen to the books for modeled fluency, or read and record so you can check their performance. The Self-Paced Assignment for each level includes a selection of books at that level. Many resources are also available for Custom Assignment or My Assignment.
Assessments - Raz-Plus offers Benchmark Books and Benchmark Passages to assess a student’s reading level or progress. Comprehension Quizzes are also available to assess how well a student comprehends their reading and are great resources for text-dependent questions. Teachers can also assign High-Frequency Word Assessments and Alphabet Assessments for additional evaluation.
Also available in the Reading Room:
Leveled Books - In addition to the leveled books available in the Self-Paced Assignment, every Reading A-Z leveled book is available electronically to students through the Reading Room.
Nursery Rhymes - Listening to new twists on traditional nursery rhymes exposes students to a variety of rhyme and rhythm patterns. Repetition helps them identify patterns of sounds, an important phonological awareness skill that leads to greater reading success.
Poetry Books - Bolster students' listening and reading fluency skills with professionally developed poetry books that provide opportunities to listen for and practice with pitch, intonation, and inflection. Poems with a story-like beginning, middle, and ending also help students with comprehension skills, such as sequencing events or understanding basic story elements.
Song Books - Songs help students understand language's rhyme and rhythm in a similar way to poetry or nursery rhymes. Songs add melody and beat and support students' enjoyment of reading. Encourage students to sing along with the highlighted words in each Song Book karaoke-style.
Alphabet Books - Learning to recognize the uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet is one of the most important first steps in learning how to read. Alphabet Books help students learn to identify and name each letter of the alphabet.
Sound/Symbol Books - Support students’ learning of sound and symbol relationships with books that feature simple pictures with labels and provide reinforcement of important letter-sound correspondence for successful decoding.
Decodable Books - Provide practice and support with sounds and their corresponding symbols. After being taught phonics with lessons that are systematically organized, use direct and explicit instruction, provide blending and segmenting practice, and provide word manipulation practice from Reading A-Z, students practice what they learn by listening to and reading the Decodable eBooks available in the Reading Room.
High-Frequency Word Books - Prepare students for reading success with three sets of high-frequency word books, featuring the most commonly used words in printed text. High-Frequency Word Books introduce these common words in an easy-to-read format and target words of gradually decreasing frequency.
Read-Aloud Books - Target specific sounds with Read-Aloud Books that partner well with any phonics lesson that corresponds to a particular book's target sound. Read-Aloud Books also build critical phonemic awareness skills.
Shared Reading - Build foundational skills important for early readers, including print concepts and reading strategies. Each Shared Reading title has a printable student version and two projectable versions for whole-class activities, as well as a five-day lesson plan.
Graphic Books - Present informational text in an engaging and entertaining format, and appeal to visual learners as well as struggling and reluctant readers. Each Graphic Book pairs with a specific Leveled Book for additional reading.
Close Reading Packs - Students carefully analyze the text of multiple passages and have small-group or whole-class discussions to answer a Key Question.
There are also additional resources available for teachers to print and project, including Content Area Reading, Fluency, Comprehension, Book-Related Resources, Tutoring & Mentoring Packs, and many more.
Home > Learning A-Z Products > Raz-Plus


Yvonne Cao, EdMTechnical Advisor, Monitoring and Evaluation
Areas of expertise
- Survey methodology and training
- Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research
- Experimental and quasi-experimental impact evaluation
- Performance and process evaluation
- Literacy development and early grade reading assessment
- Project management
- Research, monitoring and evaluation
Projects & Resources
With the Let's Learn to Read and Write (Ann ALE) project in Haiti, FHI 360 will focus on early grade reading and writing (EGR/W) that is coordinated, effective and sustainable.
The Accelerating Equitable Access to School, Reading, Student Retention and Accountability (ACCELERE!) project is improving equitable access to education and learning outcomes for more than one million boys and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The USAID Ghana Partnership for Education: Learning activity has developed a systematic, phonics-based reading program with materials for primary grade P1 to use as a prototype in 20 schools in the Yendi Municipal District of northern Ghana.
This guide steps through five recommended techniques for supporting second language learners.


Sample Course outline
Personal protective and avalanche rescue equipment
- Identify and familiarize students with winter personal protective, avalanche rescue, and self-evacuation equipment and their proper use
- Demonstrate and practice routines to check gear’s function
Demonstrate avalanche rescue
- Introduce Avalanche Rescue Quick Reference tool and apply it to a scenario
- Breakdown and practice individuals skills of avalanche rescue: assessing the scene and taking leadership, using a transceiver, using a probe, and shoveling
Single burial scenarios
- Learn to set up effective scenarios for practice
- Integrate individual skills into a rescue scenario
Patient considerations and evacuation
- Identify potential patient care considerations resulting from avalanche burial or involvement
- Name equipment for self-evacuation and communication to outside resources
- Describe considerations when interfacing with Search and Rescue and Emergency Medical Services
Scenario practice and feedback
- Integrate skills and receive feedback on rescue response from a professional
Advanced topics – Covered depending on student need and interest
- Employ probing on a line with a partner to reduce search times and need for bracketing.
- Apply foundational skills to multiple victim scenarios without close proximity burials.
- Recognize challenges associated with deep burials.
- Employ repeatable method (Micro-strip or 3-circle) for locating close-proximity multiple burials


The Gamification of Education
Digital literacy is the future of communication and commerce and creates learning experiences that develop students' capacities for critical thinking, creativity, imagination and innovation. Digital communication requires skills learned through study of the fine arts, as well as the skills of using new technology. Digital games combine the power of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills in a program that fuses the arts (A) and humanities with hands-on experiential learning into complex eco-systems within, and extending beyond, the game space to involve networks of people in a variety of roles and rich interactions. Learning STEAM skills represents a critical activity within this larger, highly engaging system where the future economy is contingent upon students’ success.
Additional Supporting Materials
- What are some of the best ways to teach creativity, communication and critical thinking skills essential to success in today’s digital world?
- How can we understand the intersection between the arts, technology and game development? And how can we teach this understanding in high school and higher education?
- What are the challenges to making digital learning a reality in education and how do we evaluate the progress?
- How can educators use fine arts to prepare students to articulate and convey their ideas through interactive media and game development?
- Why is a fine art education important to a quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education?
- Warren Spector, N/A, N/A
- Paul Toprac, Associate Director for Game Development and Senior Lecturer, University of Texas at Austin
- Doug Dempster, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts
- Jennifer Ransom Rice, Executive Director , Texas Cultural Trust
Caroline Hammond, Program Director, Texas Cultural Trust
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Phonological awareness and early intervention
Studies have shown that the explicit instruction of phonological awareness (PA), an individual's ability to attend to and manipulate the sound structure of a spoken word, significantly influences later literacy. Current research being conducted is looking at the duration and intensity of PA instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of low-intensity, short duration PA intervention upon preschool-aged children with the following questions: Is there a difference in the pre-and post-test phonological awareness scores of children in PA intervention? Is there a gain difference made in phonological awareness task scores between typically developing children and children with identified speech and/or language (SL) impairment in PA intervention? Forty children (21 males, 19 females) aged 2:5-5:10 (12 SL impaired) participated in a weekly literacy development class with caregivers, containing fifteen minutes of PA instruction. Paired sample t-tests of pre- and post-scores evidenced significant improvement. Independent sample t-test showed no significant difference between "groups" in gain scores. This suggests that explicit PA instruction, even of short duration and low intensity, yielded positive results, for both typically developing children and children with SL impairments.
Second place winner of oral presentations at the 14th Annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum (URCAF) held at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex, Wichita State University, April 8, 2014.
- URCAF Abstracts 2014


As part of the DSF Clinical team, the speech pathologists play an important role in the prevention, early intervention and management of literacy difficulties in children. Evidence-based practise, drawn from current research, underpins all services provided. In addition to providing direct support to children and students, our speech pathologists have developed a close association with Curtin University to undergo literacy and language research as well as to supervise speech pathology honours students.
Speech Pathology services provided at the DSF Clinic
The assessment of speech, language and literacy skills from early childhood through to adolescence can provide valuable information about possible future literacy-learning difficulties. Assessment by a speech pathologist can be conducted over one or two sessions, depending on the areas requiring investigation. Assessment can focus on one or more of the following areas:
- Comprehension and the use of spoken language
- Phonological processing
- Speech sound development (articulation and phonology)
- Literacy skills including the development of accurate and fluent reading, writing and spelling.
DSF Speech Pathologists currently offer the following assessments:
Early Literacy Assessment
The Early Literacy Assessment is conducted by a Speech Pathologist and is designed to profile a students’ areas of strength and difficulty in their literacy skills. It focuses on foundational skills such as phonological processing. It also evaluates their letter-sound knowledge and their skills in reading, spelling and written expression. It is not possible to receive a diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disability through this assessment (diagnoses can only be made by a Psychologist following a Functional Assessment of Literacy or full Psycho-educational Assessment). However, this assessment is of most value when it appears that the student’s literacy skills are not progressing as expected and additional information is required to determine an appropriate course of action both at school and home.
Speech and Language Assessment
The Speech and Language Assessment is conducted by a Speech Pathologist and focuses on an individual’s expressive and receptive language skills, including comprehension (e.g. following instructions), vocabulary (how many words they can understand and use), and use of grammar (i.e. sentence structure). Where appropriate, this assessment can also evaluate an individual’s articulation (speech sounds), fluency (stuttering), social use of language, or higher-level language and problem-solving abilities. This assessment is designed to highlight areas of strength and difficulty in an individual’s speech and language skills, and may determine whether or not a language impairment is present.
Assessments are completed in one 1.5 to 2 hour session (time varies depending on age). A comprehensive report is provided two to three weeks after the assessment with recommendations for appropriate intervention and support. Families are also offered a follow-up meeting or phone call to discuss the findings.
Therapy sessions are beneficial for children and adolescents who need literacy support, and also for those who have speech and/or language difficulties. Intervention can be provided for areas of concern including oral language, written language, auditory processing, reading, spelling and articulation (speech sounds).
A consultation with a DSF speech pathologist can provide valuable information in relation to your concerns about your child’s development or academic progress. It is also useful to help determine whether or not your child would benefit from an assessment. The DSF speech pathologists are also able to consult with teachers to modify the language demands on children with language difficulties, and optimise their learning within the classroom.
The DSF speech pathologists are trained to use evidence-based programs, including Sounds~Write and Talk for Writing, to develop students’ reading, spelling and written expression skills. Group programs are tailored to reflect each student’s specific needs.
The DSF speech pathologists present both on-site and off-site workshops to teachers and parents on a variety of topics relating to language or literacy development.
Speech Pathology Screenings
The DSF speech pathologists offer high quality screening on-site at schools for kindergarten and/or pre-primary students. Carefully constructed screening tools identify difficulties with oral language, early literacy, articulation, fluency and social skills; all of which may impact on a student’s learning in the classroom. Individual reports, including recommendations, are prepared for each child, and consultation with both the teaching staff and parents is provided. Please contact DSF for further details.


Here’s a great toy I discovered for teaching phonics to younger pre-school and kindergarten children. It’s a standard “letter truck” by Melissa and Doug toys. But oh, what we can do with it when teaching phonics.
This activity is for after your child knows the sounds of the letters and is ready to blend and substitute phonemes. As you teach blending letters to make word families, such as the “at” family, demonstrate how to go from Cat to Hat, by removing the C and putting in the H.
Now you can use the truck as a game. First, set up a small selection of letters with your child, such as P, C, M, R, F, T, and A.
Ask your child, who should be a few feet away, if he or she can please deliver a “cat” to you on the Magic Word Truck. He loads up C, A, T and zooms it across. “Oh no”, you say, “I didn’t mean a CAT, I meant a HAT.” You send the truck back, and he removes the C and puts in an H, and sends it back to you. “Oh, no”, you say, “I meant a MAT.” And so it goes. The options are endless. You can get a mat for the cat. You can get a hat for the cat. You can even get a Rat and have the Cat scare it away.
When you move to another word family, such as “ig”, you can practice with that one alone, as above. Then when the child is ready, you can mix the two, so your child can send you a Big Cat, or a Fat Pig.
The best part is that it keeps the young ones physically engaged and moving. Movement is the heart of early childhood learning. While I am not really a fan of teaching reading and phonics too early, because of my Waldorf education training, if you are going to do it anyway, at least keep them moving. Enjoy!


Epiphany’s Music Department involves all students in grades 5-8 in learning how to read music, sing, and perform together at school events throughout the year. Students are also given the opportunity to join the weekly Chapel Choir as singers and musicians, where they receive additional extracurricular music instruction from Epiphany’s music teachers. During their weekly music classes, our students are exposed to a variety of music styles and genres from around the world. They also learn a variety of techniques for singing and performance which both challenges the students and increases their confidence as they master these techniques. Epiphany is committed to music education programming as an important part of our students’ education and experience of positive forms of self-expression.
We find that increasing our students’ confidence in their abilities is key to helping them believe that they can succeed at school and in life. According to the Journal for Research in Music Education, middle school students who participate in music programs have higher English and Math test scores than their peers who do not participate in music programs in school. For students who are struggling with academic subjects, we find that music can be an important outlet not only for expressing themselves, but also for their perception of their own success and abilities. When struggling students succeed in learning a difficult piece of music or become members of the weekly Chapel band, those students learn to believe in themselves just as we believe in them. That boost in confidence then translates into better academic performance.


This page is filled with resources to help you teach your children about colors. You’ll find printable charts, games, minibooks, activities, crafts and more. Learning about colors is a great way to start off the year as most children have a solid understanding of different colors and color names. Build upon this basic foundation by introducing children to the Color Wheel, the Warm, Cool and Neutral colors and provide ample Color Mixing Activities. This is a great time to plan some simple Preschool Art Projects
- Color Wheel Paint Card
- Simple Experiment Coloring Page
- Warm & Cool Colors Art Page
- Exploring Color Blends Art Sheets (x8)
- Color Splat Bookmarks
- Color Award Chart
- Rainbow Spinner Wheel Template
- and more…. Click Here for Samples
Printable Colors Chart
This is a printable color chart featuring the color word written across each colored circle. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink White.
Color Words Wordwall
This is a set of printable wordwall cards featuring color words and different colored circles. Use worrdwall cards in the classroom or cut apart for a simple matching game.
Color Science for Kids $
Check out our premium pack of color science printables and activities for kids.
Color Classroom Charts
These full color charts work great for classroom use or with student notebooking pages. Mount to the corresponding color of construction paper and hang in the classroom
Color Words Coloring Pages
This is a set of coloring pages for children working on color identification. Each page features different items for children to color and would be great for those working on different hues.
Catch a Rainbow Game
Color matching games are simple ways for your preschooler to build important skills. Color is one of the first differences children can easily recognize and sort and these games are designed to build on visual discrimination skills.
Color Wheel Chart
This is available in color and black and white. Laminate the chart and hang in the classroom or place in student notebooks. Use the black and white version for art exploration.
Dinosaur Color Game Printables
These dinosaur printables are perfect for little ones learning colors and counting. They coordinate with dinosaur counters and include games and worksheets for creating a thematic unit.
Our Color bookmarks make great take home resources for your children. Print on cardstock and laminate for best results. This is also a great resource to add to a mini office for reference.
Printable Colors Bingo
This is a set of printable BINGO cards featuring the different colors. Some colors are featured multiple times so children can work out a little bit of strategy as well.
Color Mixing Worksheet
This is a simple color mixing worksheet you can use with your favorite medium. There is plenty of space for children to blend and mix the colors together to get the desired result.
Color Sequencing Pattern Cards
These sequencing strips start children with ABAB and move to ABCABC. Blank versions are available for children to make their own. Use with Bingo Chips.
Color Words Minibook
This is a printable minibook for children to learn their colors. The full color version is great to read with children, and the black and white version makes a great coloring activity.
Pantone Colors This artful first colors book introduces children to 9 basic colors and 20 shades of each. Readers will immerse themselves in the concept that one color name actually refers to a variety of dark, light, and in-between tones. Young children will begin by simply naming the colors of the monochromatic images and will soon grow to select their favorite and least-favorite shades. Pantone: Colors is a visually pleasing way to expand the colors conversation and develop a child’s sense of visual discrimination.


The debate over whether to include phonics in early literacy instruction has been one of the hottest topics in the field of reading. Researchers and teachers agree that children must be able to use graphophonic knowledge in order to learn to read. That is, children must understand that written symbols correspond to sounds which make up written words, and they must be able to decode new words. Yet there is still debate over whether phonics instruction is necessary for children to learn these concepts and skills.
McIntyre, E. (1993). Decoding Skill and Successful Beginning Reading in Different Instructional Settings. Reading Horizons, 34 (2). Retrieved from http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol34/iss2/3


Morning Children’s House
The Children’s House is a Primary school program designed for 3 -6 years of age. Children at this age are eager to learn from new people and experiences. They absorb all the environment has to offer and it is our responsibility to ensure the world they experience is rich, safe, nurturing, and intelligent. The foundation of self-esteem and all future learning is constructed during these early years and the Primary Program is designed to take advantage of this powerful, formative period.
In the Children’s House, your child will be introduced to many different concepts and will learn both through observing and through direct interaction with our beautifully crafted materials.
- Children learn to bake, sew, wash dishes, sweep, pour, and more with our lessons in Practical Life.
- Activities that appeal and refine the senses are the focus of our Sensorial Exercises.
- Your child will learn size, shape, composition, texture, temperature, weight, loudness or softness, and many other qualities as he or she works with these materials.
- Language is taught through a specific progression of lessons that engage the senses–children learn letters and sounds through seeing, hearing, and touching them–and through immersion in a linguistically rich classroom environment.
- Our Mathematics materials are designed to teach your child not only how, but why. Math is hands-on and our lessons teach number values and math operations though concrete materials that children touch and manipulate.
- Lessons in Grace and Courtesy begin on the first day of school and are reinforced throughout the Primary level. Learning to respect one’s own work and the work of others, to wait one’s turn, and to handle materials gently and put them away neatly after using them–these and other lessons in Grace and Courtesy are essential to maintaining a quiet, respectful, and nurturing environment and to raising respectful and capable children.
Contact us to learn more, tour the Children’s House and meet our staff.
Full Day Children’s House
Instead of their school day ending prior to lunch with the other Primary children, Full Day students continue to work with guides until 3pm. During this time, younger children are either napping or have gone home for the day while the older children build upon the activities of the morning and undertake projects and field trips that are typically too challenging for the youngest students of the Children’s House. Often the older students take on the leadership role in the classroom community. This continuity is developmentally appropriate and beneficial to the child’s sense of security and well-being. This opportunity of focused attention provides the perfect bridge to the elementary education.
Primary emphasizes active rather than passive learning. Children learn by actively participating in their environment, mastering many skills, and experiencing explosive learning during this time. Like other Primary students, Full Day students participate in music, language and cultural study, outdoor time, and other enrichment activities.
Contact us to begin the process of transitioning your child to our Extended Day program.
Latch Key – After School Childcare
NEIM’s after-school program – open students age 2 ½ -8 – are led by experienced and well-trained staff who are part of our classroom’s regular teaching teams. An answer for working parents concerned about leaving their children in unsupervised environments. Included in this is a walking school bus from nearby John Cline Elementary School. Your child will be given opportunities to participate in music lessons, baking, outdoor play, construction activities, creating art, and more in our childcare program.
Fees based on usage. Utilize great care between 3:00pm-5:30pm Monday through Friday at your discretion. $3.50/hour and $5 fee for every 10 minutes that are after 5:30pm.
Contact The Montessori School office to learn more about our Childcare program.


Making Connections is one of the key Reading Comprehension Strategies. If students can make connections to themselves, their lives and what they see and hear around them, then that enables them to better understand what written text is all about.
This activity pack is designed to help students to make sense of and write down what connections they have made.
The Making Connections Activity pack can be printed out, posters and bookmarks can be laminated, and worksheets printed and shared with students. Use the bookmarks to remind students what connections they should be thinking of when they are reading their books.
As an added bonus, teachers and students who have GAFE (Google Apps for Education) Google accounts can click on the shared links and use the worksheets in Google Slides.
This package contains
• one with all four Making Connections; Text to Self; Text to World; Text to Text; and Text to Media
• four separate posters one for each connection
• one with all four Making Connections; Text to Self; Text to World; Text to Text; and Text to Media (one copy with background images, one without)
• four separate worksheets, one for each connection (one copy of each with background images, one copy of each without)
• 2 worksheets, one with four of the connections and one with three connections
• one with all four connections
• one with all 3 connections
• 4 bookmarks with one connection on each
8 Graphic Organizers
• Things that are different - Things that are same, one graphic organizer for each connection
• 2 ring Venn diagrams, one graphic organizer for each connection


Informusic is the all-in-one classical music history resource for students, professors, and classical music lovers. Browse through biographies, program notes, sheet music, audio examples, and interactive timelines that contextualize musical events with art, history, politics, war, and more! Informusic is one of the easiest ways to search through centuries of famous classical music and to learn more about your favorite composers.
GREAT COMPOSERS & COMPOSITIONS
With the Informusic app, you’ll learn everything you want to know about Western Art Music’s greatest composers and compositions. From Medieval times to the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras, Informusic shows you the threads that connect music with the larger world culture of which it is a part.
COMPREHENSIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC EDUCATION
Informusic’s content is created by specialists in their respective fields of musicology, history, and performance. Our advisory board of PhD musicologists ensures quality and accuracy of information. It’s one of the most comprehensive classical music education apps on the App Store.
Informusic includes all of the tools that a music student uses for their music history courses into one app. Below are the key features of the Informusic app:
1. Biographical Information
– Quick Facts: See everything you need to know about a composer at a glance
– Biographies: Browse through brief but concise biographies
– Further Readings: View lists of leading scholars for additional research
2. Musical Works
– Program Notes: Listen to audio examples as you uncover the history and theory behind great compositions
– Sheet Music: Follow and analyze the score as you listen
– Complete Works: View catalogued lists of major pieces published by notable composers
3. Interactive Timelines
– Scroll through the chronology of a composer’s life and greatest achievements
– Contextualize musical events with other disciplines such as Art, Literature, Politics, and more!
– Curate Your Searches: Filter by year, event type, and search for specific interactions
Experience music history and enjoy it from the convenience of your smartphone or tablet. Be fascinated! Use Informusic!
* NOTE: New Composers & Content added regularly! Only $0.99 for a limited time.
We are constantly working to improve the Informusic-Classical Music History & Composer Resource” in order to make it more useful for you. Please feel free to email us for any queries/suggestions/problems or if you just want to say hello. We would love to hear from you! If you have enjoyed any feature of the Informusic app, do rate us on app store and share among your friends after class, at the concert hall, or in between practice sessions.
For technical support contact email@example.com
For other inquiries please contact firstname.lastname@example.org


The NY Times reported yesterday on another study that supports the enormous value of early music lessons. This time it was a Northwestern University study that looked at brain waves of college students. Those that had been exposed to music and music lessons at at early age showed “more robust responses — their brains were better able to pick out essential elements, like pitch, in the complex sounds when they were tested. And this was true even if the lessons had ended years ago.” Reading skills were especially improved by early music study. “There’s a fascination — and even a certain heady delight — in learning what the brain can do, and in drawing out the many effects of the combination of stimulation, application, practice and auditory exercise that musical education provides.”
In order to make this music education possible it takes a entire system of parents, teachers and musicians. Here in San Antonio, we are fortunate to have active music performance programs in our schools (Disclaimer: my wife is a middle school orchestra teacher in NEISD. She has also taught in SAISD.) Many cities have eliminated most of their elementary and middle school music programs. We also have groups like YOSA and The Children’s Chorus of San Antonio that take music students to a more advanced level.
But, the great thing about music education is the students eventually have to teach themselves. It is called practicing. It is in the time spent alone with your instrument that you develop self-discipline and critical listening skills.
In order to get this opportunity, you first need to be exposed to music. I got involved in a very typical way:
1) My parents signed me up for music lessons before I was in first grade.
2) In school, touring groups (I especially remember loving the US Army Band in elementary school) came to my school and played concerts.
3) I was in chorus and band in school.
4) And, finally but most importantly, I had a few FABULOUS and inspiring private teachers.
The San Antonio Symphony and its musicians play an important part in supporting our school music programs. Our Young People’s Concerts for third, fourth and fifth graders are often a child’s first exposure to live music. Many of our musicians teach private lessons to young children. They also teach at all our local colleges and universities.
The hardest part is to start. It takes a lot of patience by parents to keep young kids on track. They don’t like to practice at first. But, kids love to improve and learn. With the right school programs and the right private teacher, any child can make quick improvement on a musical instrument they love. When a child feels like they are making progress, they will continue to learn.
This isn’t easy on parents. Most are so busy just keeping ahead of work and other parenting duties. It takes a real commitment to find the time to take your kids to that concert or school program or the weekly private lesson. But, the rewards will last a lifetime.
For more blogs by Jack Fishman visit: www.sasymphony.org/blog


Music teacher education for comprehensive schools in Slovakia runs from the year 2005, within the context of the Bologna Declaration. Also other legislative changes as a new school reform from 2008 with the new Education Act and other act concerning continuous education of teachers determines the current events connected with universities and their affairs. Music teacher training is carried out at faculties of education (study branches of pedagogy, philosophy, humanities and natural sciences) within the bond of a particular university.
Music teacher training in Slovakia is run in three target groups: They either study a four-year course at “educational-social academies”, they start at the age of 15 and complete their studies with an examination that approves them for university admission, or a university degree course in “preschool education” that lasts for five years: the first three are a Bachelor study and the final two ones are a Master study course.
Training of kindergarten teachers and primary school teachers ISCED 0 ISCED 1 takes place at the faculties of education in the field of 1.1.5 Pre-school and Elementary Education. The compulsory subjects also include music which is compulsory for all students.
Music teachers for the first level of general elementary education (children aged 6-10)
Music teachers study at a university in the field of preschool and elementary education that lasts five years: the first three years are a Bachelor study, and the final two years are a Master course. Music is compulsory for all students. If they wish, students can also take a course that offers a more detailed and deeper study of music. This is a good opportunity for music school graduates to extend the knowledge they already have gained.
Music teachers for the second level of general elementary education (children aged 11-15) and at specialist schools (for kindergarten teachers) and conservatories (ages 15-18).
Teachers are trained at university on a course consisting of three years to a Bachelor and two to a Master entitled ”1.1.3 Teacher Training for Educational and Artistic Subjects”. Music is usually studied in combination with another subject. Some subject combinations are set joint courses while in others students are free to choose their second subject. In Slovakia a Master’s degree is generally required to enter the teaching profession. Bachelor graduates can currently only work as teaching assistants or in areas outside school (such as leisure centres, culture management).
Characteristics of a 3-year Bachelor study
The study subjects are implemented as the part of the study program – lectures, seminars, tutorials, professional practice, and bachelor thesis. The study programme is carried out in the following units of study programmes and is realised full time. The students in bachelor degree acquire professional proficiency and this objective is subordinated to the selection of the units the content of which is mentioned in the following themes listed below.
Professional and Subject Matter basis consists of:
- Musicological subjects that consist of theoretical, analytical and historical subjects.
- Ethnomusicologic subjects.
- Performance and practical subjects,
- The ensemble subjects: Folk ensemble Torysa (singing dance group, folk music), women´s choir, mixed choir, chamber orchestra
- The part of the subject areas from the field of music pedagogy (music pedo-psychology, music sociology)
Characteristics of 2-year Master´s study (Mgr. degree)
Professional Theoretical and Musicological Basis:
- Musicological subjects (theoretical, analytical and historical subjects)
- Subjects of applied musicology
- Subjects of the works in the collection of art.
Professional-Didactic Basis – Subjects from the Taxonomy of Music Pedagogy
- Methodology of the science of art
- Professional didactics of the main subjects
- Educational, psychological and socio-cultural context of the educational process in music education
- School legislation for the field of Arts and Culture within National Educational Programme
- Professional Didactic Practise
Diploma thesis (Defence)


How Thinking Maps Impact the Integration of Knowledge and Ideas within Primary Readers
Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair
Naomi R. Taylor
Secondary Advisor/Reader One
The research question explored the impact of Thinking Maps on primary readers for integrating knowledge and ideas in texts. It documents one teacher’s recognition of motivation and metacognition as important elements in her teacher practice and discusses the role of Thinking Maps in elementary education from students’ perspectives. The author details observations of thinking in a second-grade reading intervention class and describes the results of student documents, reflection forms, field observations, and reader’s conferences. The results are analyzed for flexibility of thought, ownership of learning, and awareness of thinking. The author concludes that, while there is a continued opportunity to develop awareness of personal experiences that influence reading, Thinking Maps support the development of metacognition within primary readers, a catalyst for the critical thinking that is required to integrate knowledge and ideas.
Li, Erica Jamie, "How Thinking Maps Impact the Integration of Knowledge and Ideas within Primary Readers" (2015). School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 102.
This document is currently not available here.


To be an inclusive school, which welcomes all children from its community and provides challenging educational experiences for each individual.
To provide an interesting and stimulating environment, which reflects the cultural diversity of the school and its community.
To help each individual to strive to reach his/her full academic potential through the provision of a motivating and relevant curriculum which concentrates on providing children with good literacy and numeracy skills whilst ensuring enriching learning experiences.
To provide a welcoming atmosphere based on positive relationships, where everyone is valued and any discrimination is always challenged.
To promote a culture of life-long learning which promotes education beyond the confines of the classroom and engages parents in the learning process, as individuals and in support of their children.
To be a healthy school by teaching children how to have a healthy lifestyle, both physically and emotionally, producing healthy adults of the future.
To provide a safe environment in which to learn. To teach children how to stay safe and how to make wise choices for their future life.
To create an environment where children can attend, enjoy and follow a personalised route to success.
To create an ethos where positive behaviour is encouraged and self confidence can flourish, in order to deal with life’s changes and challenges.
To develop attitudes where ambitions are strived for and children are aware of pathways to qualifications, or skills, to make them real.


Scientia 2006: Mary Jo G. Biazzo
Mary Jo G. Biazzo is receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with minors in Science and Nutrition/Dietetics. She is a member of Delta Epsilon Sigma, the National Honor Society for Catholic Colleges and Universities; Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education; and Kappa Gamma Pi, the National Catholic College Graduate Honor Society. She decided to pursue a Citation in Honors as a way to push herself academically, and prove to herself that she is determined, and prepared to succeed in any challenges she decides to take on. Mary Jo would like to thank her advisor, Ms. Ellen Burkhouse, for her time, encouragement, support, and valuable thoughts throughout the process; her reader, Professor Lloyd Hildebrand, for his support, and for reviving her love of children’s literature; Ms. Christina Elvidge for her encouragement and guidance; and her parents, and boyfriend Stephan, for their unconditional love and support.
The Role of Multicultural Children’s Literature in the Elementary Classroom
Director: Dr. Barbara Burkhouse
Reader: Mr. Lloyd Hildebrand
Full Article in PDF Form
Multicultural children’s literature is often defined as literature that recognizes and accepts human differences and similarities related to gender, race, culture, disability, and class. The definition of multicultural children’s literature that best fits this paper is: literature for children that recognizes and accepts human differences and similarities related to different cultures, races, and geographical regions. It is literature that emphasizes respect for the different cultures in society. In today’s diverse American society, multicultural children’s literature is a useful way to introduce children to cultures that may be unfamiliar to them, as well as the cultures of their own backgrounds.
Multicultural children’s literature is a valuable tool for educators to incorporate into the curriculum. The many benefits of using this tool will be explored. This type of children’s literature has not always encompassed a wealth of material as it does today. The history of multicultural children’s literature, as well as reasons for lack of representation of certain cultures, will be touched upon. Educators planning on incorporating multicultural children’s literature into their curriculum need to be sure that they choose appropriate and sound literature of this type. What are the criteria educators need to look for when exploring this type of literature? The critical measures involved in choosing multicultural children’s literature will be examined.


It is the aim of Buxton Junior School to create a stimulating environment in which children are actively engaged in their learning. It is a high priority of the school to develop literacy and numeracy skills. We will provide opportunities to use and apply these skills across other areas of the curriculum. Buxton Junior School is committed to ensuring that children attain the expected standard at the end of Year 6.
It is a requirement that all children should study the National Curriculum.
The subjects of the National Curriculum are as follows:
English, Mathematics, Science
Art and design
Design and Technology
Schools are also required to teach Religious Education.
Personal, Social and Health Education ( including sex education) is also taught at Buxton Junior School.
* We offer Wider Opportunities music provision. In Year 4 all pupils will learn to play the violin. In Year 3 pupils are learning to play handbells, Y6 pupils are learning to play djembe drums and Y5 will start a short course on the steel pans in January 2017. There are also opportunities for Wider Opportunities ukulele lessons and peripatetic woodwind and string teachers also visit school.
Academic Year 2015-2016.
Core Objectives for Literacy and Numeracy for each year group. These Core Objectives form the basis of the curriculum for English and mathematics.
Read Write Inc - Help your child with their reading
This YouTube video will help your child with pronunciation of the letters


How to Learn Career Skills at Home
The modern world is perfectly set up for people who have no dependents or social responsibilities – people who can move easily from place to place to find new opportunities and develop their skills. For millions of people, however, life is not like this, and traditionally this has presented a barrier to learning and career development. The good news is that this is now changing. Thanks in large part to the development of the internet, it has become possible to acquire the sort of skills that employers really value from the comfort of one’s own home. This means that single parents, carers, and people who just have very little time left at the end of the working day all now have the opportunity to increase their employability.
There are always opportunities out there for people who can speak multiple languages. Learning a new language at home is easy to do: there are books, audio tapes, and online courses available; there are translation apps to help deal with difficult texts in the early stages; and, in most common languages, there are endless websites that can be read for practice. Watching films or listening to songs in the target language is also good practice, as is seeking out native speakers to chat to through social media. The key to learning a new language is to practice a lot and to connect with it in lots of different contexts, which leads the brain to build up a network of associations that improves memory.
Playing a musical instrument can lead to work in the entertainment industry, provide an opportunity to go into tutoring, or impress employers by showing that an individual is ambitious and capable of serious commitment. There are lots of great tutorials online and in books that can get new learners through the basics and teach specific techniques. Private tutors are generally flexible about the hours that they work and are often willing to provide tuition at home – they’re invaluable when it comes to overcoming difficulties and fine-tuning advanced skills. Again, though, most of what is necessary to succeed is serious practice.
Few skills are as widely applicable in the modern working world as IT skills, and taking the time to build these up can be of enormous value when looking for a job. General courses are offered by companies such as Microsoft and can provide a good bit of flexibility, but to really make an impression, nothing beats having IT skills that are focused on a specific sector. For instance, the University of Southern California offers courses focused on the healthcare sector, so those who are interested in that area may want to take the time to learn more about their executive MHA program. IT jobs don’t just point to careers in administration but can be a useful adjunct to many other roles.
Today’s education generally focuses more on white-collar careers and does less to promote learning a trade than was the case a few decades ago, but traditional tradespeople are still needed, and work of this type can be extremely lucrative. One trade that is practical to start learning at home is carpentry. This can begin with repairing one’s own furniture, move on to building furniture for one’s own home, and then lead to building items for other people and seeking commissions. There are lots of useful videos online that teach basic techniques, and though some investment in tools is needed, this is another case where it’s practice that makes perfect.
Another field in which people are always in demand is bookkeeping. This can be a route into a more complex financial career or simply a chance to earn some extra money as a contractor, connecting with local businesses. There are lots of short courses available on a learn-at-home basis, aimed at teaching the important foundational skills and the regulations with which practitioners need to comply. Learning requires diligence and good basic numeracy but not a great deal more. Hard work will pay off, after which the most important thing is to keep an eye out for changing rules and keep using those skills to stay fresh.
With all these opportunities available, and many more besides, it should be clear that time spent at home doesn’t need to be time wasted. People who are genuinely dedicated to making themselves more employable can find the means to do so and, when they’re ready to start looking for work, will have much stronger resumes to show for it.


Voice Performance and Technique
The Voice Department at Millikin University is committed to helping young singers achieve their potential and to guide them in the direction of their careers. Care is taken to establish a healthy technique that facilitates artistic expression. Integral to the development of the singing artist at Millikin is the mastery of music reading skills. To achieve this end, exercises in music reading are administered in private lessons in the first semesters of study for all voice students. Repertoire is chosen that establishes a thorough and wide-ranging understanding of how to apply technical mastery to vocal works, and with an eye to stylistic considerations in the various genres. After establishing a traditional mastery of vocal technique in “classical” literature, emphasis is allowed to shift to a student’s chosen genre of focus. Thus a Commercial Music major may, in the later semesters of study, learn and perform largely popular music; a Musical Theatre major may do more work in their genre, and so on. All voice teachers at Millikin teach a variety of genres, per the student’s particular major and interests.
Opportunities to sing are plentiful at Millikin. In Master Class each week, students present work they have prepared to perform for the class and receive constructive input from their own or another’s voice teacher. Area Voice provides singers a venue and an audience of their peers for which to perform several times a semester. Weekly School of Music recitals are yet another opportunity for some of the more advanced students to share their talent with an appreciative audience.
Opera Workshop class, Opera, and Musical Theatre productions are other places aspiring singers can develop and display their talents. Musical productions are open to all students who wish to audition. Finally, vocal recitals are expected from Music Education and Music Performance majors, and are available as an elective for anyone wishing to present one.


Education/Newsletter/June 2014/Wikipedia Primary School Project
The Wikipedia Primary School project is an endeavor which seeks to understand whether or not Wikipedia articles meet the needs of primary school education.
This research aims to define and select relevant articles which address primary school curriculum, to facilitate the production of high quality new content which will be compatible with Wikipedia, and to assess existing articles linked to primary education, with a focus on Africa. The project will involve the Wikipedia community, partners, volunteers, scholars and experts in the field of education.
While numerous research projects have looked at Wikipedia contents and have consulted the Wikipedia community, this research utilizes methodology that involves a number of external people and entities.
The research is being conducted by two teams of researchers: one from SUPSI in Switzerland and one from the University of Cape Town. The programme partners are the Africa Centre and Wikimedia Switzerland (WMCH).
Various school systems were evaluated to understand how they work and to determine the differences between them, with the idea that what children study in African countries can be different than what children study in European countries. The point is understanding the main topics which primary schools teach in the countries that were observed.
The research team seeks to find out if content on Wikipedia answers questions that children, parents, and teachers ask in context of primary school learning. For example, Wikipedia has articles about continents and countries, but do those articles adequately cover climate, geography, biology, history such that there is sufficient information to support students in their studies?
The teams will compile a list of articles, both existing articles as well as articles that have not yet been created. Academic journals will peer review existing articles or issue calls for papers for experts to write articles in their fields and release them under a free license so that the information can later be made available for use on Wikipedia. The results of the peer review will be published in the project journal which will be linked to on the assessed articles' talk pages. The teams will not be publishing any information directly on Wikipedia, but they will notify the community of their availability, should they wish to refer to them. Documentation is available on Meta.


This MAE program was created for artists who teach. Designed around a teacher's schedule, it's a studio-intensive degree that allows K-12 certified art teachers to beef up, recharge, refresh (and fulfill requirements for maintaining their teaching certification while they're at it). Develop an area of artistic expertise or explore a variety among drawing, painting, photography, or printmaking. Grow your critical and analytical skills. Learn progressive approaches to teaching visual arts. Discuss how technology enhances the classroom. Our goal is that you'll come away enriched, challenged, and energized to continue mentoring and inspiring the next generation of artists.Apply now!
Prepares students to begin the research and studio portions of their thesis paper or project. Provides instruction in the APA style of writing, research strategies, information access and retrieval, literature evaluation and thesis topic refinement.
Advanced analysis of art that explores the definition of and criteria for contemporary and historical art. Builds advanced critical assessment skills.
Exploration of advanced teaching strategies and methods for the purpose of expanding and invigorating personal artistic expression and classroom practice.
Assists the student in developing and evaluating new and innovative curriculum processes for middle and high school settings. The course will concentrate on aligning curriculum content to national regional, state and local standards and building teamwork for curriculum integration. In addition, it will increase the student's ability to use technology as a curriculum tool.
A seminar dealing with topics of special topics in art history, theory, and/or criticism.
Explores the current issues within the art world and the world of art and art education. Determines how these affect pedagogy and policy in art education.
Students demonstrate mastery level synthesis of the coursework they have completed by conducting an independent inquiry culminating in a studio thesis project. All studio projects have a required written component.
Examines nature/multiple causes of reading difficulties based on literacy research, language development, learning theories. Explores impact of social, cultural, emotional, physical, and environmental factors on students with reading difficulties. Identifies assessment principles/practices that inform and support literacy instruction. Focuses on methodologies, research-based programs, and best practices for prevention, intervention, and remediation of reading difficulties at all grade levels. Emphasizes creating partnerships with parents, families. Includes technology and classroom application components.
Download the catalog for the most recent course listings and prerequisites.


Sixth Uwezo survey finds learning outcomes consistently low
More children are going to school today. This is one of those achievements that the government picks on to show how they have transformed the country from education being a privilege of a few to being accessible to all. But, every time results of the Uwezo report are launched, debate rages over whether the government’s priority should be more children going to school or what they gain there – if at all.
For the sixth time, Uwezo, an East African region organisation that does surveys to assess learning achievements of school going children aged between 6 and 16 years in numeracy and literacy has found Uganda’s learning outcomes to be appalling.
For their latest report dubbed, ‘Are our children learning (2016)’, Uwezo assessed over 94,000 children from 112 districts in the country. Data was collected from more than 3,000 schools and 65,000 households.
Launching the report on Dec.16, the Uwezo Country Director Mary Gorretti Nakabugo said they found that by the time they reach primary 7, 2 out of 10 pupils still cannot do class 2 work.
“In P.3, almost 2 out of 10 P.3 children can read and understand a P2 English story, but 4 out of 10 cannot read an English word. In P.7, 2 out of 10 children cannot read a P2 English story,” she said.
The findings of the current report are not very different from previous ones. But they present a new twist showing deep inequalities between pupils attending privately paid education and those enrolled for government’s education for all programme through free Universal Primary Education. The report shows for P3 to P7 pupils, attending private schools boosts their competence over their government school peers by 17 percentage points in English, 10 percentage points in mathematics and 6 percentage points in local languages.
Also, for P3 to P7 pupils, attending privately paid remedial classes increases basic literacy and numeracy skills, English by 18 percentage points, local languages by 14 percentage points and numeracy by 10 percentage points.
While assessing, for instance, for levels of reading in English, children were placed on one of the five levels, ranging from the ‘non reader’ to `ability to read a short story’. Those who successfully read a story were asked two comprehension questions based on the content, if the child answered at least one of those questions correctly, he or she was considered to have achieved full competence in English literacy at P2 level.
In n numeracy, the children were assessed on number recognition and in the four basic arithmetic operations of division, subtraction, addition and multiplication which were given in assumed order of difficulty. Those who did division tasks had already passed the three.
For competence in local languages – Ateso, Runyakitara, Luganda and Leblango, Nakabugo said they used the same criteria as English. She said local languages were considered because in addition to them being on thematic curriculum, several studies have found that competence in one’s mother tongue affects second language acquisition and learning yet in Uganda acquisition of reading skills is slower in the local languages than in English.
Despite Uganda introducing the thematic curriculum in 2007, assessors found an extreme shortage of local language textbooks where by 49.9% of schools surveyed did not have these books. Also, a third of the mathematics and a quarter of the English classrooms, there were either no text books or only one for the teacher.


It’s time to get the books out – World Read Aloud Day is coming up and, of course, Nali’bali is here to guide us.
The national Nalíbali reading-for-enjoyment campaign is preparing to shatter its 2016 record and read aloud to at least half a million children across South Africa this World Read Aloud Day (WRAD), Thursday 16 February. The campaign, along with pledging partners including the Department of Basic Education (DBE); the Department of Social Development; LIMA; LIASA; Rotary; Volkswagen South Africa; The Bookery; and Zisize Ingwavuma Educational Trust, aims to raise awareness among adults and caregivers of the vital role of reading aloud in children’s literacy development by issuing a brand new story and calling on its friends, partners and members of the public to join them in reading it out loud to children on the same day.
Last year, with the help of the nation, over 300 000 children heard a special story read to them in their own language and this year read-aloud sessions – big and small – are planned nationally. Some community reads will be led by Nali’bali, and others will be organised by members of the public with schools, libraries, fellow literacy organisations and non-profits joining in.
Reading aloud is an important building block in children’s literacy development: it shows them how stories work; it teaches that reading and stories can be meaningful and satisfying; it offers an opportunity for adults and children to connect and get to know each other in relaxed ways, and, when read in home languages, it builds the foundations that children will need to learn a second language. This is particularly vital for school children making the transition from instruction in their home language to English in Grade 4.
“Nal’ibali sees World Read Aloud Day as one of the most important events on our calendar,” says Jade Jacobsohn, Nal’ibali Managing Director. “Children who are immersed in great and well-told stories – in languages they understand – become inspired and are motivated to learn to read for themselves.”
For Nal’ibali, one of the most important components of WRAD is the way that the day ignites a groundswell of reading:
“Everyone can join in and be part of an initiative that benefits each and every one of us,” said Ben Rycroft, Head of Communications at Nal’ibali. “This is just the beginning. We are confident that people will realise that reading aloud is fun as well as meaningful, and will continue throughout the year.”
“Being able to enjoy a story in your own language is really special. We hope to hear echoes of the story in different languages and in different voices as the adults and caregivers around us take up the call to read aloud. ” concludes Jacobsohn.
To take part in World Read Aloud Day 2017, fill in the pledge form and access this year’s special story at www.nalibali.org and www.nalibali.mobi. You can also follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter: nalibaliSA.


BEMIDJI, Minn. — The Bemidji State University Department of Theatre presents “The Sophie Scholl Project,” an original work based on records of the life, interrogation, trial and execution of University of Munich student Sophie Scholl during World War II. The production was written, directed and performed by the members of a theatre seminar course taught by Assistant Professor of Theatre and Communication Arts Pat Carriere. It opens on Thursday Nov. 15 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 17. Shows begin at 7:29 p.m. nightly during the three-day run.
Sophia Magdalena Scholl, the daughter of Robert Scholl, was born May 9, 1921. Sophie joined the Hitler Youth in 1933, and at first was enthusiastic about the organization. But influenced by the views of her father, she became increasingly critical of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi government.
After leaving school in 1940 she became a kindergarten teacher, followed by six months of auxiliary war service as a nursery teacher in Blumberg. In May 1942, she entered the University of Munich and became a student of biology and philosophy.
Scholl was a member of a group called White Rose, formed by students at the University of Munich in 1941. It is believed that the group was formed after August von Galen, the Archbishop of Munster, spoke out in a sermon against the Nazi practice of euthanasia — the killing of those considered by the Nazis as genetically unsuitable.
Members of this anti-Nazi group included Sophie and her brother Hans, their sister Inge, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf and Jugen Wittenstein. Kurt Huber, a philosophy teacher at the university, was also a member of the group.
In 1943, Sophie and her brother Hans were arrested for distributing leaflets on the Munich campus, and Christoph Probst was later arrested in connection with the production of the leaflets. The three members of the White Rose group appeared before the People’s Court judge Roland Frieisler on Feb. 20, 1943 and were executed hours later after being found guilty of sedition.
Sophie Scholl will be played by Mallory McKay, a sophomore in elementary education from Rochester, Minn. Also in the cast are: Erik Bergsven (freshman in music; Bemidji, Minn.) as Johann Reichardt, Inspector Robert Mohr and Judge Roland Frieisler; Ramey Nordby (fresman in creative and professional writing; Grygla, Minn.) as Christoper Probst; Thomas Bauer (senior in history; Owatonna, Minn.) as Hans Scholl; Sarah Bull (junior in theatre; Bemidji, Minn.) as Traute Lafrenz and Else Gebel; Kayla Hinkemeyer (sophomore in elementary education; Kimball, Minn.) as Gisela Schertling and Magdalena Scholl; Jamie Lim (junior in psychology from Melaka, Malaysia) as a guard and Carriere as Robert Scholl.
The Sophie Scholl Project will be held in the Black Box of the Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex, located on the campus of Bemidji State University. Tickets are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for students and senior citizens. BSU students are admitted free with a valid ID. Seating in the Black Box is limited, so interested patrons are encouraged to buy tickets in advance.
Tickets are available in the Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex box office, located in Bangsberg 127 on the BSU campus. Tickets are available by telephone reservation only, and will not be available for walk-up purchase; call (218) 755-3863 to reserve.
For more information, please contact Patrick Carriere at the Bemidji State University Department of Theatre at (218) 755-3901.


Everyone will enjoy everyday heroes from the past and present.
Title: National Geographic Kids: The Book of Heroes
Author: Crispin Boyer
Publisher: National Geographic
President Barack Obama is the first black president and a history maker in his own right. His charm, courage and humility put him in the limelight with others like Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Alexander the Great and Sitting Bull. Heroes come in many forms. Russell Simmons started Rush Communications, one of the largest black owned media companies in the United States and with his Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation he brings music education to disadvantaged kids. Pancho Villa, Wyatt Earp and Samuel Bellamy fought the good fight like Robin Hood. There are heroes who fight to save communities like police officers, military personnel and firefighters. Sports legend Jesse Owens proved to Hilter’s Nazi party that he was superior rather than inferior. Neil Armstrong, the original moon walker, showed the world that man can fly to the moon. A man of peace, Dr. Martin Luther King proved time and again that protests can be about truth and justice without violence. Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin were not just men before their time but questioned the laws of physics and human behavior’s and environments.
Readers will find chapters covering Leading Men, Legendary Lads, Game Changers, Heroes for Hire, Peace Heroes, Action Heroes, Inspiring Minds and Outstanding Animals. Men and boys can be heroes too and there are plenty of them found right on these pages. These men have done more than step up to the plate they have challenged, fought and won for the greater good of everyone. Each of these men started out as ordinary but ended up becoming extraordinary. Colorful artwork and beautiful photography put these heroes front and center. This guide also has fun facts in Moment of Bravery and even points out some Gutsy Gals. Parents, teachers and young readers will be amazed at all they will learn and hopefully all will be inspired to become a hero.
Courtesy of Media Masters Publicity


Ski areas and backcountry ski operations rely on ski compaction or layer disturbance to help stabilize the snowpack. But many questions about compaction remain. For example, why does heavy compaction sometimes fail to reach basal layers? Is one swipe enough to really disturb a layer of surface hoar?
Compaction was one of the seminar topics at the week-long International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) in Banff, Alberta, this fall. Panelists from ski areas and backcountry-guiding operations discussed how they monitor and manage the compaction process along with some of their successes and failures.
A little history
The ISSW began in Banff in 1976 when 120 delegates came together to network and share knowledge regarding snow science and practical avalanche forecasting. These bi-annual conferences alternate locations within Canada, the United States and other locations—just last year, the first ISSW was held in Europe. These meetings have grown to almost 1,000 delegates from 20 countries.
Over the last 15 years, Zac’s Tracs has participated in five of these conferences: Penticton, B.C., Lake Tahoe, California, Whistler, B.C., Banff, Alberta, and Alaska. What draws the company is the mixture of researcher and practitioner presentations. The researchers present the science to improve understanding of how and why avalanches occur and provide tools and observations that can be used to help industry and recreationalists stay safer and have more fun. The guides, snow safety personnel and recreationalists share their practical experiences of applying (or not applying) the science. The result is a sharing of what worked, what didn’t and what could be done differently. It is a continual cycle that is necessary for advancement.
The avalanche industry is very small. Conferences like the ISSW are incredible opportunities to meet the world’s great minds in one place. Sharing knowledge and experience in an open public forum such as this speeds up the dissemination of information and helps save lives as more people in more countries adopt new ideas quicker.
Zac's Tracs has been incorporating the new knowledge, photos and stories into its training programs for many years, thanks to professionals from Alaska, Utah, Montana, Switzerland, Austria and Sweden, for example. Some of this material improves the introductory classes, such as the Avalanche Skills Training (AST) Level 1; however, it is in classes like the AST Level 2 where the students have the foundational skills and vocabulary necessary to talk about these higher level concepts.
The truth about compaction
Compaction is a topic that really interests Zac's Tracs as it has many high-use snowmobile areas that get plastered with tracks on a regular basis. Assuming that the compaction happens when the layer of concern is close enough to the surface to be disturbed . . . how much compaction is required before a person could feel comfortable that the slope can be trusted?
Looking for the answer to this question? Take an AST 2 workshop or Zac’s Tracs evening AST 1.5 workshop this season! We look forward to challenging you to apply your knowledge to real-life decision-making situations.
After all, isn’t this the point of the training in the first place? I doubt you took the AST course just for the fancy certificate.


By Cindy Wickham, TLC Educational Services Manager
Did you know that breastfeeding helps reduce SIDS, illness, ear infection, and upset tummies in babies? And that despite all of the health benefits of breastfeeding for both infants and their mothers, it can still be challenging for a mother to find a safe, welcoming environment in which to breastfeed or pump?
TLC welcomes breastfeeding and pumping mothers, and is undergoing Breastfeeding Friendly training to further improve our ability to accommodate mother's with nursing infants who are part of our infant & toddlers childcare program.
Breastfeeding Friendly, in addition to HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Living) training, is part of a center-wide initiative to develop an implementation plan and clear policies regarding healthy eating in our classrooms, educating families about the benefits of quality nutrition on healthy child development, and welcoming breast feeding parents and staff into our facility.
Materials to make TLC a Breastfeeding Friendly site include books and toys to help children understand what breastfeeding is, why it is important, and to normalize seeing it.
Why Breastfeeding Friendly?
By becoming Breastfeeding Friendly certified and implementing HEAL, TLC will be able to better impact positive development in children through increased nutritional intake beginning at birth, and through monitored obesity prevention by classroom teachers, aides, and therapists. Healthy development impacts a child’s behavior in the classroom on a daily basis, as well-nourished minds and bodies are able to focus and learn better.
The Benefits of Breastfeeding and Creating a Space for Breastfeeding
Babies don't need water or cereal, as all the liquids and nutrients they need are provided in their mother's milk. Introducing solid foods before six months of age can replace the nutritional and caloric content provided by a mother's milk, and should be avoided. A newborn’s brain is only about ¼ the size of an adult’s, and grows to be 80% of adult size by age three, and 90% by age five, the age when a preschooler graduates from TLC, making their time at TLC one of the most critical periods in their development for adequate nutrition acquisition, which starts in infancy. Poor nutrition contributes to delays in intellectual development by causing brain damage, illness, and delays of motor skill development. Early shortages in nutrients and exercise can reduce cell production; later shortages can affect cell size and complexity. Nutrient deficits also affect the complex chemical processes of the brain and can lead to less efficient communication between brain cells, potentially crippling a child’s cognitive potential for life.
By giving mothers who are able to breastfeed the space to do so during the day (both breastfeeding and pumping), whether on their lunch break from work, or before dropping off or picking up their child, we are helping mother's build a solid nutritional foundation for their child. This foundation is built upon in our classrooms when TLC teachers help establish healthy eating habits and food preferences.
Infant Feedings at TLC
TLC infant room staff respond to hunger cues from infants in their care. Research shows it is best to feed a baby when it is hungry, not on a strict schedule. Babies have fluctuating appetites as they grow, and may receive different amounts of calories each time they feed, resulting in a need for more or less milk at alternating variables. Cue-feeding has been shown to help babies grow better, stay calm for feedings, and learn to eat when they are hungry, which can prevent over-eating and obesity as they grow. Cues for hunger in infants include opening mouths, sticking out tongues, or moving head side to side. Hand sucking can also be a sign of hunger, and turning away from a breast or bottle a sign of fullness. Infant room staff can store both breast milk and formula on site, and mothers are welcome to come during the day and feed their infants at any time.
Advice on Breastfeeding & Child Nutrition from Boulder County Health
The recommended minimum amount of time to breastfeed an infant is for the first six months. In this time, it is recommended to exclusively feed babies breast milk. Babies don't need solid foods before they are six months old. Solid foods are difficult to digest before this time, and foods like cereal in a bottle can hurt baby's teeth, upset tummies, and interrupt sleep. Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed through the child's first birthday, and for longer if the mother wishes to do so.
A variety of positive food experiences and activities promote good eating habits and development in children. Focusing on programs about child health, breastfeeding, and healthy habits can improve a child's cognitive development early on, and thus impact their mental processing and performance throughout life, and improve a child’s ability to make healthy choices that positively impact their own well-being. TLC's programs for infants, toddlers, and preschool children, including the implementation of Breastfeeding Friendly, help build life-long healthy habits in kids.


Panel Urges Study Of Reading Comprehension
With a considerable body of research on how children acquire basic reading skills already established, more attention needs to be directed toward building a sustained and systematic study of reading comprehension, a panel of experts concludes.
The draft report from a reading study group assembled by the RAND Corp. suggests that research on how children develop skills in reading and understanding many types of texts will be one of the most urgent needs for reading researchers and teachers over the next 10 to 15 years.
For More Information
|The Rand Reading Study Group provides its draft report, "Reading for Understanding: Towards an R&D Program in Reading Comprehension," as well as reviews of the report by experts in the field and reader comment forms. (The draft report requires Adobe's Acrobat Reader.)|
"Reading for Understanding: Towards an R&D Program in Reading Comprehension" outlines a plan for finding out which curriculum and instructional practices best promote comprehension skills, as well as effective ways to assess those skills. The report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Education's office for educational research and improvement.
'Much To Learn'
While improving reading skills in the early grades will depend primarily on translating research findings into practice, the 73-page report says, "we still have much to learn ... about how children become good comprehenders, how to design and deliver instruction, and how to prevent comprehension failure."
Becoming skillful readers—those who can read with ease and interest a variety of materials for pleasure, learning, and analysis—depends on students' reading and vocabulary skills, world knowledge, motivation and purpose for reading, and awareness of the structures of various types of text, the study panel says.
Prominent research in recent years has focused on the acquisition of early literacy skills, such as phonemic awareness (the understanding that words are made up of sounds and letters), decoding (or sounding out) of words, and word recognition. Such research has led to a trend toward explicit, systematic phonics instruction in the early grades.
Reading achievement, as gauged by state and national test scores, often drops after 4th grade, when students are required to master increasingly complex subject-based material.
The performance of middle school students in particular—33 percent of 8th graders demonstrated proficiency on the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress, while 26 percent of the students lacked basic skills—has begun to focus attention on adolescent literacy. But the teaching of comprehension—a skill commonly assumed to develop merely by reading—is often minimal and ineffective, the study panel said.
"The public discourse about improving reading achievement has oversimplified the issues by suggesting that once we all have children reading at grade 3, that is it—we're home free," said Catherine Snow, a Harvard University education professor who headed the 14-member panel.
"But real problems emerge in middle school and later grades, even for children who it turns out are doing fine at the end of grade 3," she said.
Ms. Snow, the current president of the American Educational Research Association, chaired the committee that in 1998 wrote the influential National Research Council report "Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children."
Rigorous and Relevant
The RAND study group recommends that the OERI research agenda demand rigorous quantitative and qualitative studies. And, if the federal research is to have an impact on reading instruction and achievement, "the concerns of practitioners need to be incorporated from the beginning, and the work must be seen as contributing to practice, rather than being exported to schools after the papers are published," the draft report says.
But first, the panel says, the OERI must address concerns about the quality and relevance of educational research. The report suggests forming a panel of experts with extensive experience in independent research to review future research proposals submitted to the federal office.
Some experts praised the report for focusing on comprehension and for attempting to lay out a more dynamic and meaningful research role for the OERI.
"This is trying to move OERI into setting a research agenda ... rather than responding only to congressional mandates," or the hot topics of the day, said Gerald R. Sroufe, the director of government relations for the educational research association, a Washington-based group representing 23,000 education researchers.
But others said a more comprehensive approach to reading research is necessary to help teachers improve reading achievement.
"It's much too timid an agenda," said Cathy Roller, the research director for the International Reading Association in Newark, Del. "We know about a lot of [teaching strategies] that work. The question is, which ones should we use with which kids at which point in time to make sure they all learn?"
The RAND proposal would not preclude such studies, Ms. Snow said. The final report will incorporate feedback from researchers and teachers and is expected to be released this spring.
Vol. 20, Issue 21, Page 3