Ready2Read is a FUN, hands-on reading program that will make kids LOVE reading!!
Ready2Read Level 3 Unit 8 will cover word families, sight words and long vowels. This comprehensive reading program is designed to meet all of the Common Core Reading Foundational Skills standards.
You can visit the Information page for Level 3 on our blog.
This packet is 63 pages long and included the following:
Sight Words: may, think, from, of Word Families: -oil, -out
Page 4- Color by Number Sight Word Stars
Page 5- Trace it, Stamp it, Paste it
Page 6- Spin and Graph Sight Words
Page 7- My Sight Word Book
Page 8- Missing Letters
Page 9-Wonderful word Families
Page 10- Roll, Read and Color
Page 11-17- Read and Write the Room Word Families (also for memory card game)
Page 18-19- Read and Write the Room Sight Words
Page 20-22 Word Families Detectives
Page 23-24-Word Family Word Sort
Page 25-26- Sight Word Decorating Sheets
Page 27-29-Build a Word Family Scene
Page 30-34 Go Fish Game Cards
Page 35-36- Ocean Wall Characters
Page 37-38- Sight Word Headband
Page 39- Color by Sight Word Page
Page 40-Roll, Trace and Check it Off!
Page 41- Sight Word Match/ Sight Word Spelling
Page 42- Game Board
Page 43-Long Vowel Posters
Page 44-45 - Ready2Read Certificate
Page 46- Sight Word Graphing
Page 47-Word Family Graphing
Page 48- Word Search
Page 49-50- Word Family Word Race
Page 51-52- Box Them Up!
Page 53-Sight Word Make-a-Match
Page 54-55- Word Family Word Slides
Page 56-57- Stamp it Up!
Page 58- Tic-Tac-Toe Sight Words
Page 59-Sight Word Success
Page 60-Clap the Sight Word Syllables
Page 61-Fix that Sentences
Page 63-63 Lesson Plans
Be sure to visit The Moffatt Girls blog for more educational resources and ideas!


What The Experts Say About
The Most Effective Way to Teach Reading
"The vast majority of studies indicate that approaches including intensive, explicit phonics instruction resulted in comprehension skills that are at least comparable, and word recognition and spelling skills that are significantly better than, those that do not. Approaches in which systematic code instruction is included along with meaningful connected reading result in superior reading achievement overall."
Beginning to Read, A Summary,
funded by the U.S. Office of Educational Research and Improvement
and published by the Center for the Study of Reading
at the University of Illinois.
"What is the best way to teach children how to read? Old-fashioned phonics? Or the newer whole-language method that emphasizes the meaning of words? After two years of study, a panel of national experts offered an answer: Use some of both. The panel recommended that beginning readers be taught to sound out letters as the primary way to identify unfamiliar words. But the panel also endorsed several founding principals of the whole-language method, which encourages children to predict what might happen next in a story and draw inferences from surrounding clues."
The New York Times,
March 19, 1998
"Long-term studies begun by the National Institutes of Health in the early 1980's... offer clear strategies for teaching children who struggle to read. Reading problems are just as common among children of above-average intelligence as among those who are lower. The N.I.H. study has concluded that both literature and phonics practice are necessary for impaired and unimpaired children alike. The phonics component is vital for the 40% of children for whom word recognition is difficult."
The New York Times,
January 25, 1997
In order to help schools integrate the Talking Fingers family of products into their curriculum, we have correlated both our software programs with the Language Arts standards of each of the 50 states.


There's hardly a story about any American illustrator that sooner or later doesn't mention the name of one man--Howard Pyle. One might even go so far as to call him the father of American illustration. But it's hard to get a grasp of the importance of this man without looking at what came before. One of his best predecessors was A.B. Frost. Before Pyle, there was a staged quality to American book illustration, as if actors were drawn from a point of view "front row centre" with a theatrical set, props, and costumes. Pyle brought to illustration a writer's perspective, because he enjoyed writing and was probably as good at it as he was in illustration. In fact he illustrated several of his own books and stories, among them, The Adventure of Robin Hood and The Story of King Arthur and His Knights. Armed with a writer's imagination he poured the same unique qualities into his drawings. They never seemed staged, but instead evoked a kind of dynamic drama, with unusual angles, dark backgrounds, action, adventure, human emotion--the work of a writer who could draw.
Pyle was born in 1853 on the outskirts of Wilmington, Delaware. His home still stands today, though it's now well within the city. His father was a leather worker, his mother a woman who saw to it her son had an idyllic childhood, nurturing his bookish tendencies; his enjoyment in reading, writing, and drawing. His first successes came in blindly sending samples of his work to leading New York magazines where, to everyone's surprise, they were immediately accepted. Scribners was one of his early outlets. A trip to New York by his father, who dropped in on Scribners ended with his son being invited to move to New York, with the assurance that there was plenty of work for him there. Pyle moved to New York, but quickly discovered the work was slim, menial, and his artistic skills woefully lacking. Studies at The Art Students League and later Drexel Institute in Philadelphia sharpened his knowledge of the human figure, colour, and the technical needs of the engraver.
Howard Pyle came to illustration at a most opportune moment. It was at a time when nationally circulating publications were on the rise, printing techniques allowed for the move from woodcuts to metal plates, and when colour printing was in its infancy. Pyle developed his skills to match the best the printing industry had to offer, catering to their needs while allowing their best efforts to mingle with his own vivid imagination. After a stint in New York with Scribners, Harpers, and the children's magazine, St. Nicholas, Pyle moved to Philadelphia where he taught at Drexel Institute for two years, before moving back home to Wilmington and starting a kind of free graduate school for top illustrators. There, from a list of some 1,300 applicants, he chose twelve, sharpening the skills of the next generation - N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover, Thornton Oakley, Maxfield Parrish, Jessie Wilcox, Stanley Artherus, Ida Daughtery, Harvey Dunn, and others. The school lasted only from 1900-1903, although Pyle continued helping his former students for several years while his work itself came to influence dozens of others whom he didn't actually teach. Late in his career, he took up the challenge of mural painting, gaining a whole new level of fame, respect, and financial success.
For many years, Pyle resisted the common practice of finishing off one's art education in Europe. He was fifty-seven before he finally succumbed to the temptation to visit Europe. During most of the trip he was ill. He hated Rome, visited Siena and Genoa, before falling in love with Florence where he remained for several months. It was in Florence he changed his mind and decided that maybe the European masters actually did have something to offer American art. Ironically, t’was there that he died of a kidney infection in 1911; and there too, that this greatest of American illustrators was buried on foreign soil.


targeting of maladaptive attributions and beliefs; and (5) differentiation of instruction to meet the particular needs of those who struggle or have diagnosed disabilities in the course of broader instruction to develop reading and writing skills.
Several limitations in current knowledge of component processes indicate that research is needed to (1) develop more integrated and comprehensive models of reading comprehension processes, including metacognitive components, to develop more complete approaches to instruction and assessment; (2) understand the relation of fluency to comprehension and how best to develop fluency; (3) identify efficacious methods for developing vocabulary and other aspects of linguistic knowledge for reading and writing proficiency; (4) develop more integrated models of writing processes and writing instruction; (5) develop methods of teaching reading and writing in tandem with world and topic knowledge in academic, disciplinary, or content areas; (6) understand the neurobiology of reading and writing to test theories and models of typical and atypical developmental processes, develop more sensitive assessments, guide teaching and treatment of disability, and prevent reading and writing difficulties; and (7) understand the social and contextual forces on reading and writing and the implications both for the design of instruction to develop valued functional literacy skills and the assessment of these skills as part of evaluating the effectiveness of instructional outcomes.
Cognitive aging research suggests that adults may experience some age-related neurocognitive declines affecting reading and writing processes and speed of learning that might need consideration during instruction. Most research has concentrated on young children at the beginning of reading development and on older adults at the opposite end of the life span who are proficient readers beginning to experience some declines. As a result, more needs to be known about how reading and writing processes change across the life span to determine how to make instruction effective for learners of different ages.
As Chapter 3 makes clear, except for a few intervention studies, the study of component literacy skills and processes has not been a priority in research with adults, nor has the research fully incorporated knowledge of the practices that develop reading and writing skills in K-12 students. The population of adult learners is highly diverse. Adults bring varied life experiences, knowledge, education levels, skills, and motivations to learning that need attention in instructional design. Research with adolescents and adults will be required to validate, identify the boundaries of, and extend current knowledge of literacy to identify how best to meet the particular literacy development needs of well-defined subgroups of learners.


A few relevant Articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.


Professor Karl Diebitsch (3 January 1899 – 6 August 1985) was an artist and soldier responsible for much of the Third Reich SS regalia, including the chained SS officer's dagger scabbard. Diebitsch worked with graphic designer Walter Heck to design the notorious all-black SS uniform. Also with his business partner, industrialist Franz Nagy, Diebitsch began the production of art porcelain at the factory Porzellan Manufaktur Allach.
Diebitsch was born on 3 January 1899, in the city of Hanover, Germany. In Hanover, he attended school for the arts. This was interrupted by his enlistment in the Imperial German Navy in 1915. He earned the Iron Cross, Second Class, while with an artillery battery during World War I.
Diebitsch had completed an apprenticeship as a decorating painter when he was in school before the First World War. After a short time being employed as a merchant, he decided to resume his art education. Diebitsch enrolled in the Design School of the Academy of Plastic and Graphic Arts in Munich on 29 October 1919.
Joining the Nazi Party
On 1 May 1920, Diebitsch joined the Nazi Party or NSDAP. His membership number was 1,436. From 1920 to 1923 he was a member of the Freikorps. He went on to complete his formal art training in 1925, followed by several years of living and working in Munich as a painter and graphic artist. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, Diebitsch moved his family to Berlin and there joined the Reichsverband Bildenden Künstler Deutschlands (National Association of German Visual Artists). In November 1933, he joined the SS. Later in 1937, he rejoined the NSDAP with a membership number of 4,690,956.
Artworks for the Third Reich
Diebitsch served as the director of SS Porzellan Manufaktur Allach in 1936 until the SS enterprise had its porcelain production facility moved to Dachau. In the same year he designed SS dagger and sword parts, along with many other SS items. In 1938 he received one of the top prizes at a House of German Art exhibition in Munich for his painting titled, "Mutter" (Mother). In 1939 Diebitsch designed the letterhead logo of the Ahnenerbe and crests for SS officers. In May 1939 he designed a window for an exterior wall of the "Konig-Heinrich" dome at the cathedral at Quedlinburg. Diebitsch also designed many German postage stamps during the Third Reich.
He designed a tapestry that was created by Elsie Seifert.
It was removed from Heinrich Himmler's residence in Berchtesgaden in 1945 by a member of the 506th Parachute Regiment of the American 101st Airborne Division. This piece originally hung in the Reichstag but was removed to Himmler's residence after a fire which destroyed a similar piece. The construction is of heavy gold bullion thread on a blood red velvet backing. Bullion tassels and chord. Size is approximately 7 x 9 feet.
War years and later life
Besides being an artist, Diebitsch was also a reserve officer in the Waffen-SS during the course of the Second World War. He received staff assignments to the SS-Totenkopfstandarte (SS Death’s Head Regiment), SS-Regiment "Germania", SS-Division "Wiking" and the Höhere SS und Polizei Führer (Higher SS and police leader) of Italy. Diebitsch was finally promoted to the rank of SS-Oberführer on 20 April 1944. He survived the war and died in 1985.
- An honorary title conveyed by Hitler. Johnson, Thomas M., Collecting Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Volume 6, 1993, pp 78-81.
- Lumsden, Robin. A Collector's Guide To: The Allgemeine - SS, Ian Allan Publishing, Inc. 2001, p 53.
- Johnson, Thomas M., World War II German War Booty, Volume II, p 66.


Your child can hone her realistic drawing skills as well as learn more about American artist, Norman Rockwell, in celebration of American Artist Month. In this activity, she can explore the challenge of photorealism as well as create something truly special.
What You Do:
- Take a closer look at Norman Rockwell’s artwork with your child, encouraging her to pay close attention to the details included in his paintings. Notice how realistic they seem. Part of being an illustrative realistic artist is capturing a moment, which tells a story as well as intrigues the viewer.
- Invite your child to brainstorm ideas for her cover art in the style of Norman Rockwell. She can look at pictures for inspiration and create thumbnail sketches of her ideas.
- Once she’s satisfied with an idea, encourage her to begin her artwork with a light pencil sketch before covering her lines with dark, strong lines. She can even work from a photograph if she’d like, helping her to be as realistic as possible!
- Invite your child to use colored pencils to finish her detailed drawing, blending the colors together to create realistic textures and colors, just like a photograph.
- Encourage your child to continue working until the artwork is finished and then help her find the perfect spot for displaying her finished Norman Rockwell inspired creation!
Did You Know:
Norman Rockwell created over 4,000 artworks over the span of his artistic career. He was also commissioned to illustrate over 40 books, including versions of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


This month I’m lending my INK blogspot to Meribeth Schenk, author and librarian. We hear a lot these days about how books, reading, and learning are lighting out for the Territory – new and yet-to-be-discovered Territory. Here’s how one school is doing it.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
We invite second and third graders to choose (from books written and/or compiled by Douglas Florian, Karma Wilson, Jack Prelutsky, Kristine O’Connell George, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Karla Kuskin, Shel Silverstein, to name a few in the Media Center’s collection), practice (at home in front of a mirror) and read (or memorize) a poem to share in front of their classmates. Students are filmed, for later use of combined videos, to create a poetry slam presentation during April -- poetry month -- when students also share poems they have written.
Third, fourth and fifth grade students become familiar with labyrinths by way of stories, and search engines. A labyrinth is a spiral path, leading into the center and back out. Often effective as a meditation tool, a labyrinth can be used for balancing mind, body and spirit. Searching for labyrinths in a country of their choice, students also use globes, atlases, and webquest to discover labyrinth locations around the world. By tracing mazes and labyrinths, students begin to discover differences (mazes have dead-ends and blind alleys to confuse, labyrinths are single paths allowing one to be reflective).
Then, drawing labyrinths using seed patterns, and creating their own labyrinths using the computer program, Paint, extends the experiences in preparation for walking a canvas labyrinth as a culminating event. When students share their impressions through drawings, writings and comments after the labyrinth walk, the insights are often moving, profound, and surprising.
Additionally, fifth grade students use a storyboard template to guide their planning as they prepare to share their favorite book using Frames. This simple program works like a flipbook, as students create an animated movie, generating illustrations, and adding sound and music to enhance their book trailer.
Some examples of the great work our students have done include:
• creating a rap about Accelerated Reader (AR), which they performed, filmed, edited, and presented to their classmates;
• demonstrating for parents the use of a shared wiki from their Egypt project;
• student/ grandparent pairs sharing in an interview -- WIWAB/WIWAG (When I Was A Boy/Girl) -- using questions the students had prepared in advance, talking together on PhotoBooth, discovering each other in new ways, and honoring the legacy of shared experiences.
These few sample activities give a flavor of a new curriculum as it develops: an integration of trade non-fiction and fiction with texts and classroom lessons, supplementing with cameras, internet, and computer programs, helping to expand educational opportunities for our students.
We’re excited by the enthusiasm we see:
• increasing activity in the Media Center;
• more parent involvement with books and computers;
• greater numbers of books checked out;
• deepening interest in non-fiction (especially poetry and folktales, but also sports and animals);
• strengthening teacher use of classroom computers;
• expansion of assignments using both books and computers to maximize learning potential.
Final products are often available on a loop, displayed on screen in the Media Center during parent open house and conference sessions, and at years end. Students regularly bring their families to “show off” the Media Center. They want their families to view what they’re imagining and producing -- a satisfying moment for all participants.
Meribeth Shank is a Florida native who writes for children, reviews children’s books for Family magazine in Miami (www.familymagazine.biz), teaches occasional classes on Writing Books for Children, is a certified Labyrinth Facilitator, and earned her BA in Elementary Education from Goshen College (IN), and MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College. You can also find her on the web at: http://meribeths.blogspot.com


Carmen Nazario, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reads to an early childhood class at P.S. 5 in New York City.
A new phrase that recently entered the national education lexicon is “the P-20 continuum” or the “P-20 pipeline.” The P stands variously for pre-natal or pre-kindergarten, and the 20 represents the age at which many young people are launched into the world of work. The thinking behind this phrase is important, right-headed and long overdue because it recognizes that the goal of education at all levels is to prepare young people for productive adulthood—and that the levels are intrinsically connected, starting with our youngest children. P-20 efforts are seeking to establish authentic linkages between and among the various levels of our education system (early childhood, elementary school, secondary school, college) and to help young people, as well as their parents, make successful transitions from one level to the next. In fact, studies of The Children’s Aid Society’s Zero to Five Programs have consistently shown that parents who participate in the program become leaders at their schools and are highly invested in their children’s education process.
This kind of “connect the dots” thinking is not new to community schools, and this issue of Partnership Press focuses on one set of critical linkages—that of early childhood to elementary education. We feature three approaches: the integration of a comprehensive Zero to Five program into the primary grades in two New York City community schools that are partnerships between The Children’s Aid Society and the New York City Department of Education; a national effort sponsored by the Coalition for Community Schools and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation that is demonstrating how to link early childhood systems to elementary education in three cities; and a brief profile from the St. Paul School, Centre de la Petit Enfance, in Quebec, Canada. The results from all of these efforts are promising and have caught the attention of policymakers at many levels. For example, Children’s Aid recently hosted a study visit to P.S. 5 (one of our community schools linking early childhood to elementary education) for several officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including Carmen Nazario, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. The Early Childhood Challenge grants program represents a major new investment by the Obama Administration, which is recognizing the important connections between early care and education (ECE) and subsequent school success. In fact, the Secretaries of Education and Health and Human Services recently made a joint announcement about the launch of the program—a dramatic and unusual testament to the power of linkages across the developmental stages.
At Children’s Aid, we are aware of the work of some colleagues in other parts of the country who are inventing strategies to solidify the connections between early childhood and elementary education. We are grateful to Dr. Ed Zigler and his team at Yale University for their pioneering Schools of the 21st Century, a well designed and nationally replicated community schools model that exemplifies best practice. We would love to hear about other work on this important topic and urge you to contact us so that we can learn from your successes and innovations.


Video: Introduce Orff Schulwerk to your school community. (2 min.)
Visit the Music Education Policy Roundtable to learn how like-minded organizations partner to support sequential, standards-based music education to students across the nation.
MORE ADVOCACY RESOURCES:
A Musical Fix for America: This article from the Wall Street Journal proposes music education as a solution to “some of the thorniest and most expensive problems facing American education.”
How we teach the arts is as important as the fact we’re doing it: Michael Rosen shares his checklist for how teachers can ensure that arts education is worthwhile for all students.
Listen to Why Music Education Matters: an interview excerpt with Dr. Brent Gault, chair of music education at Indiana Jacobs School of Music. (Excerpt from The Voice of the Performing Arts on WICR 88.7, Indianapolis Public Radio; co-hosts: Jeff Swensson and Steven Libman)
Doug Goodkin shares his thoughts about the importance of music education in a 2013 TEDx talk.


"… focuses on issues at the forefront of heritage language teaching and research. Its state-of-the-art presentation will make this volume a standard reference book for investigators, teachers, and students. It will also generate further research and discussion, thereby advancing the field."María Carreira, California State University – Long Beach, United States"In our multilingual and multicultural society there is an undeniable need to address issues of bilingualism, language maintenance, literacy development, and language policy. The subject of this book is timely…. It has potential to make a truly significant contribution to the field."María Cecilia Colombi, University of California – Davis, United StatesThis volume presents a multidisciplinary perspective on teaching heritage language learners. Contributors from theoretical and applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, psychology, educational policy, and pedagogy specialists explore policy and societal issues, present linguistic case studies, and discuss curricular issues, offering both research and hands-on innovation. - The term "heritage language speaker" refers to an individual exposed to a language spoken at home but who is educated primarily in English. Research and curriculum design in heritage language education is just beginning. Heritage language pedagogy, including research associated with the attrition, maintenance, and growth of heritage language proficiency, is rapidly becoming a field in its own right within foreign language education. This book fills a current gap in both theory and pedagogy in this emerging field. It is a significant contribution to the goals of formulating theory, developing informed classroom practices, and creating enlightened programs for students who bring home-language knowledge into the classroom.Heritage Language Education: A New Field Emerging is dedicated to Professor Russell Campbell (1927-2003), who was instrumental in advocating for the creation of the field of heritage language education.
Back to top
Rent Heritage Language Education 1st edition today, or search our site for Donna M. textbooks. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Routledge.


I have had parents ask me about whether or not children really need to practice spelling words on a regular basis with the spell-check feature on computers. They have also asked whether or not writing skills have become outdated with the commonality of keyboards. Technology certainly makes writing a lot easier; I wouldn’t want to be writing this blog with pen and paper. Nevertheless, the skills of spelling and writing are foundational skills that remain important.
The process of writing out words leads to an understanding of how to form letters quickly and efficiently, and even the slower pace of writing out a word by hand lends itself to the process of sounding out and blending letters to become familiar with word patterns.
Similarly, blending sounds and memorizing word formations that are part of the weekly process of preparing for spelling tests are important for children’s self-reliance in writing. As young children practice and re-practice writing out spelling words, they enhance their levels of confidence for skills mastered.
I appreciate the work of former teacher and author, J. Richard Gentry, who emphasizes the importance of spelling instruction that helps children break the code of English. He states that “when conventional spelling is taught in balance with developmental spelling and writing for meaning, students are on track for proficient reading and writing by the end of first grade. In the beginning phases, the processing of spelling, reading and writing are nearly one and the same in terms of activating reading circuitry in the brain.”
Literacy skills build upon one another, and practice with the art of language in every form has value. The benefit of writing out spelling words is not an isolated skill; it is part of the complex process of becoming proficient with literacy. Writing and reading are skills that require practice and yield huge benefits. Technology is a tremendous tool to bolster literacy opportunities, but the spell-check feature is certainly not a substitute for the practice of regular spelling tests and the practice of writing out words by hand.


MATH 111. Mathematics for Elementary Education I
This course, in conjunction with Math 112, is intended to give pre-service elementary school teachers a deep understanding of the mathematical systems that they will be expected to teach. The content of Math 111 includes the arithmetic systems of the whole numbers, the integers, and the rationals (at least in fraction form). For each system, students are expected to understand not only how to perform the four arithmetic operations, but also what those operations accomplish in real life, why the operations work the way they do, and how to model or represent those operations in concrete or semi-concrete ways. The study of the integers includes some basic number theory. Underlying all topics in Math 111 are the notions of estimation, mental arithmetic, problem solving, mathematical communication, and viewing mathematics as a logical and sensible system rather than a set of memorized procedures. Intended for elementary education majors.


Learn to Read With the New MonkiSee “See and Say Story” Books
These two new books, Know Your Monkey and Monkeys Like the Color… are short and simple stories, written for babies from birth to 3 years old. These books familiarize babies with their body parts and the wonderful world of color while at the same time, teaching them to rhyme, recognize and read many words. Each book features the loveable and playful characters, Howie and Skip.
What is a 'See and Say Story'?
'See and Say Stories' are simple books designed to teach children to read while being read to. The stories are written for children from birth to 3 years old. These books are specifically arranged to display large text while keeping the illustrations separate, so attention is naturally directed toward the written word. By pointing to the words as they are being read, babies learn to read effortlessly on the laps of their parents. The pages that feature illustrations also include text alongside the pictures. By showing the isolated words and then repeating them next to the pictures, children are able to match words with images in order to help them better understand what they are reading.
Each 'See and Say Story' includes an alphabetical word list of every word that appears in the book. The word list can be used as another medium to point out written language to small children prior to reading the story or as a review after reading each book.
The large text appears in a clean format, making it natural for young children to focus their attention on the words they are hearing. If all books were designed this way, children would be able to read long before entering school. Parents that use the 'See and Say Stories' find that reading to their child is truly an interactive experience. An act as basic as reading to a child now becomes an enjoyable journey into literacy.
Why Use See and Say Stories?
'See and Say Stories' encourage young children to read as they are being read to. The large fonts and easy to point to text naturally allow babies and toddlers to interact with the books they are reading, rather than passively listening to a story. Each brightly colored illustration also includes text in order to further explain what is being taught. Readers are prompted to say the words once again as they look at each stimulating, full color illustration.
How do 'See and Say Stories' Teach Very Young Children to Read?
'See and Say Stories' teach babies to read using sight reading, also called the whole word method. The 'See and Say Stories' are carefully designed to encourage children to see the words and then say the words. The large fonts and isolated text teach babies to read in a natural and organic way. When babies learn to read using this system, they will read in a smooth and fluid manner, unlike older children that learn to read phonetically in a more broken way.
Although babies are learning to read by sight, they are able to break down the rules of phonics and continue on reading words phonetically with little or no phonics instruction. This phenomenon is a gift all babies possess when they are introduced to reading during the first 3 years of life.
When Should I Introduce See and Say Stories?
You can begin reading the 'See and Say Stories' to your child at any time. Children are able to learn to read while being read to. No lessons are required prior to reading these books. Babies will quickly learn to read the stories if parents regularly read the books to them. So get your baby, grab a story and have fun reading while your baby learns to read.


Music has ties to every human endeavor and contributes to our daily well-being throughout our lives. It marks the special events and adds a special dimension to the quality of our lives that cannot be obtained from any other source.
The trained musician can distinguish the pitch, duration, intensity, tone, and color of sound. Music professionals understand the structure of music, as it is found throughout the world and have a perspective on its many centuries of development. Recognizing that today's musicians must be equipped with an understanding of a full range of diverse styles, an innovative, comprehensive musicianship program is now incorporated into the curriculum of all music majors at San Diego State University. The music program has received national attention and is regarded as being a strong program that teaches every student to function as a conductor, a performer, a coach, an editor or an arranger. The music program includes hands-on experience in five other world music cultures and provides students with training to sight-read, sight-sing, improvise, compose music, and use computer technology.
The music curricula are designed to fulfill the needs of all students with an interest in music. Comprehensive musicianship, the history of music, private studio instruction, composition (both traditional and electro-acoustic), piano, and ensemble performance are required. Other program features include vocal and instrumental literature, vocal and keyboard pedagogy, class voice, fundamentals of all the instruments, conducting, teaching techniques, and world music.
The Bachelor of Music program is for those students who have professional ambitions in music or seek a foundation for graduate study leading to teaching in a college or university setting.
For students who are interested in preparing for a career as a music specialist in elementary or high schools, the School offers a Bachelor of Music in music education which prepares them for the required state credential. Students are strongly encouraged to include a second major or a minor in this program.
The Bachelor of Arts in music is a liberal arts degree. The course work has less emphasis on the rigorous demands of performance and enables students to obtain a broad understanding of music. Students are strongly encouraged to include a second major or a minor in this program.
- Student organizations such as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (professional), Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma (band service), Sigma Alpha Iota and the Music Educators National Conference student chapter (music education professional) are open to music majors.
- Facilities - The 78,000 square-foot music building, completed in 1970, includes a 300-seat recital hall, rehearsal rooms for instrumental and choral organizations, an electronic music studio, 24-station multi-media computer lab, three computer/internet-connected class piano labs, a listening library of over 14,000 titles available for faculty/student study, 54 individual practice rooms, approximately 160 pianos and 800 other musical instruments.
- All music students have access to the Multi-media Interactive Fine Arts Technology laboratory, linked to students and faculty in art, dance, drama, film and music.
- Students may participate in numerous performance opportunities. There is a wide variety of instrumental ensembles from which to choose: a symphony orchestra; six bands; jazz ensembles, percussion ensembles, piano ensembles, woodwind, and brass chamber music ensembles; guitar ensemble; new music ensemble and world music ensembles.
- There are also opportunities to participate in vocal ensembles such as the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and Opera Theatre.
- Undergraduate and graduate scholarship awards are available to qualified new students determined by auditions each year. The amounts of the scholarships vary from half to full tuition in addition to awards. Applications may be downloaded from The School of Music and Dance Web site.
The need for trained musicians is more easily understood when we consider the many avenues of activities open to them. For a list of possible career opportunities, visit the Careers Services Web site.
One hundred percent of our graduates with a Bachelor of Music in music education and the single subject teaching credential are placed in teaching positions within one year of graduation.
You can view more complete information regarding the Music program in the General Catalog. All students are responsible for reading and knowing the information pertinent to their areas of study available in the General Catalog. It contains requirements for all academic majors, course descriptions, policies, and regulations governing progress at the university. Catalogs are distributed at all New Student Orientation programs. To order a General Catalog, call (619) 594-7535.


Why does children's music participation decline
following the transition to secondary school?
That question is prompted by a Keele University report* of a longitudinal study involving over 1000 children during their final year at primary school through to their first year in secondary school. The findings are significant for they
It is not surprising therefore that the activities of Youth Music (NFYM) have struck a chord. YM's funding focus is mainly on music-making out of school hours, across a great breadth of musical styles and cultural traditions. Applicants for funding have to indicate clearly that they are in tune with what will engage with young people - not only music styles, but also the manner and context in which the music is made. In their applications "profile", whilst Western classical music is represented, popular styles predominate, together with a burgeoning interest in non-western traditions.
Most of the music-making funded by YM covers 5-18 year olds; some activities have a direct link with schools' curriculum delivery, but most do not. With practical examples of music-making successfully involving that age range, YM has been encouraging and facilitating discussion on the relationships between provision through the formal music education sector and that through informal routes. Those discussions have also included those services whose main purpose is to engage with young people, such as Youth Services. Many have indicated that the discussions are providing useful fuel for a long overdue debate.
The National Music Council and the Music Education Council are planning to hold a joint meeting to discuss ways forward.
So what has the Keele study found?
First, it is important to remember that unlike many academic activities, young people have considerable autonomy in the way they engage in musical activities. Thus, questions asked directly of young people can throw some light on how and why they make critical decisions and especially the extent to which social factors can influence those decisions.


>I'm about to begin my first year teaching high school art, though I'm a seasoned teacher in other fine arts courses. My colleagues insist that no copying ever be allowed, for any reason. While I understand the importance of the students learning to develop confidence in their own creativity, I also see the value of learning via imitation. I've certainly improved my own skills by examining drawings and photographs and trying to reproduce what I see. I saved all of the responses to the recent question about artistic process. Several of you mentioned working from photographs. How is that different? Or is it? I'd like to be able to offer a different point of view to my teammates but I need a better foundation. And I'm open to the possibility that my instinct is wrong. Do you allow your students to copy as part of the learning process? If not, why?
When I was young, I had no teacher who knew the processes of how to properly practice to produce creative learning and how to motivate me learn to see; to understand and express what I saw; what I remembered and what I imagined. I had no teacher that knew how to teach me to feel and express what I felt and saw, and so on; I was abandoned to my own devices. Knowing nothing else about how to learn to draw, paint, or sculpt, I copied. We have a strong instinct to imitate and copy. We need no teacher to encourage us to imitate. My first grade teacher drew a nice picture on the board using colored chalk and we all gladly copied it with crayons on our papers. Last November I saw similar art lessons still being taught to first graders in Shanghai, China. Imitation and rote are still too prevalent in our own schools as well.
Fortunately, I eventually had some good art teachers. While I was a public school art teacher, I attended graduate school in the summers (at first to improve my pay rate). We studied the research on creative thinking. I now believe copying is product centered. It is superficial, not teaching us many of the basics of how to see the truth of the world itself. Copying teaches us how to replicate. Replication is a way to memorize another person's idea of an image in order to learn to make the image like other person (or the camera) makes the image and we are not challenged to think, to look again, to experiment and develop an image solution of our own. Copying is learning the answer from the answer. Art is the process of creating from questions, from observations, from dreams, from troubles, from joys, and from within our hearts. Replication (copying) is the opposite of expressive art. Copying molds a much different brain than the brain formed while practicing creative ways to be
expressive of our feelings and experiences.
I am sorry, but I agree with your colleagues on this one. When I visit an art class where students are copying, I tend to assume that the teacher has not figured out how to motivate and teach art.
Marvin Bartel, Ed.D., Professor of Art Emeritus
Adjunct in Art Education
Goshen College, 1700 South Main, Goshen IN 46526
studio phone: 574-533-0171
Home Page in Art Education
Home Page as an artist
"We need to remember that we are created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed." -- Maya Angelou


The Arts Guidelines
Study possibilities in the arts include:
- both practice and history and criticism of the visual arts (sculpture, painting, crafts, photography, design, graphics, etc.)
- performing arts (dance, theatre, music, etc.)
- film arts (film, video, photography, etc.).
Any of the five organizing frameworks may be used to design concentrations: disciplinary, interdisciplinary, problem oriented, professional/vocational or thematic.
A degree program in the arts should provide for the development of:
- understanding of the historical and cultural context of works of art
- knowledge of relevant theoretical and philosophical issues
- awareness of diverse cultural perspectives
- awareness of current developments and critical perspectives
- research skills
- technical proficiency
- capacity to formulate, express, and communicate concepts and images
- ability to formulate critical judgments.
Concentrations in the arts begin with foundation studies, which prepare the student for more advanced-level work. Advanced-level competence should be developed in those areas which are most relevant to the specific concentration design and to the specific organizing framework.
A progression of studies for concentrations in practice, performance and creation should lead to:
- competence in methods and techniques
- an understanding of current developments, theory and critical perspectives
- resourcefulness and independence.
A progression of studies for concentrations in history and criticism should lead to competence in understanding history, theory, critical perspectives and cultural contexts.
In planning the concentration, consideration should be given both to depth and breadth.
Students who wish to continue their studies on the graduate level and/or become practicing artists should consult the guidelines for professional degrees, which have been developed by professional associations such as the College Art Association and American Theater Association.
Students preparing for graduate work also should investigate the entrance requirements of specific graduate schools.
The creative arts are traditionally included with those studies considered to be liberal arts. Studio arts would fall within this definition. Learning not considered liberal studies focuses on specialized knowledge and skills often related to specific professional vocational needs and practices. Technical photography, art therapy techniques, advertising art and methods for art education might fall into this category.
Revised February 1993


Teaching Matters: Stories from Inside City Schools
As public schools become increasingly embattled by budget shortfalls, crowded buildings, and ever-more-rigid curricula, the burden of these restrictions has drastically changed the way children are expected to learn. Nowhere is this more obvious or more devastating than classrooms in high-need urban areas. Drawing upon teachers’ firsthand experiences in some of today’s most demanding schools, leading education experts Beverly Falk and Megan Blumenreich provide an enlightening account of what our students really need—and how teachers are stepping up to provide what state standards and political posturing cannot.
This book takes us into a variety of classrooms to witness the art of teaching at its most creative and effective. We follow educators as they strive to change systems that fail to address the needs of their students, from efforts to break the silence about homophobia in schools to multipronged strategies to build stronger relationships with immigrant families to the modification of ineffective curriculum to foster the growth of the “whole child.” By confronting many misconceptions about urban education and school reform, Falk and Blumenreich provide a crucial insider’s look at some of the most challenging and relevant questions in education today.Chapter titles include: “Immigrant Children’s Earliest Schooling Experiences,” “Celebrating Diversity in the Classroom,” “Breaking the Silence—Countering Homophobia in Schools,” “A White Teacher’s Quest to Become a Culturally Responsive Teacher,” “Bridging the Language Gap,” “Incorporating Families’ Funds of Knowledge into the Classroom,” “Supporting Children’s Diverse Needs and Strengths,” and “Supporting the Literacy Development of Young English-Language Learners.”


Reading aloud to children is vital because it helps them acquire the information and skills they need in life:
- Knowledge of printed letters and words, and the relationship between sound and print.
- The meaning of words.
- How books work, and a variety of writing styles.
- The world in which they live.
- The difference between written language and everyday conversation.
- The pleasure of reading.
Reading to young children promotes language acquisition and literacy development and, later on, achievement in reading comprehension and overall success in school.
The percentage of young children read aloud to daily by a family member is one indicator of how well young children are prepared for school.
Bradford Co. Public Library
February 10am and 1pm
Fridays in February
Union Co. Public Library
Thursdays in February
10am and 1pm
Research shows that reading aloud is the single most important thing you can do to help a child prepare for reading and learning.
Online story for children….http://tinyurl.com/Winter-is-the-warmest-season


Reading across the curriculum
This post was originally published in Nick Glass’ monthly column for Curriculum Connections, an e-newsletter published by School Library Journal in partnership with TeachingBooks.net. Subscribe to this free newsletter here.
At TeachingBooks.net we believe that books belong in every K–12 classroom and strive to support reading experiences by offering multimedia resources to enliven and expand on meaningful conversations about books in the curriculum.
In this month’s post, you’ll find strategies and suggestions that highlight ways educators of all disciplines can incorporate online author interviews, lesson plans, and audio recordings to engage students in any subject area.
We want teachers to know how easy and powerful it can be to have the authors of assigned titles share insights into their work—online, anytime. For example, students can watch and listen to Lois Lowry as she discusses how she came to create the setting for her Newbery winner The Giver (Houghton Mifflin, 1993) in this video.
Introduce an assigned book with an audio performance such as Susan Adams and Selma Blair’s reading from Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (Recorded Books, 1982).
Host award-winning authors and illustrators in the library each week starting with Patricia Polacco, author of Thank You, Mr. Falker (Philomel, 1998) and The Keeping Quilt (S & S, 1988).
Assist student researchers in understanding the context of classic books by directing them to ready-to-use literature guides for assigned readings of titles such as Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God (Lippincott, 1937).
Support the literacy development of English Language Learners by sharing videos of authors such as Children’s Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman discussing her collection of poems for two voices You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together (Little Brown, 2001).
Explore ethnic identity in contemporary literature with discussion questions for Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street (Arte Publico, 1983).
Expand on the science concepts found in books for young children by playing amusing audio clips of authors such as Jon Scieszka introducing and reading from Science Verse (Penguin, 2004).
Offer professional insights into content-area literacy programs by sharing four award-winning authors (Avi, Sharon Creech, Walter Dean Myers, and Sarah Weeks) as they perform and reflect on Reader’s Theater.
More suggestions for educators can be explored in the Curricular Uses area of TeachingBooks.net:
Posted by Nick Glass, Founder & Executive Director of TeachingBooks.net


Although the word terrorism lacks a legally binding, criminal law definition but the term is generally defined as the systematic use of terror especially as means of coercion in the international community. Other common definitions of Terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror) and deliberately target civilians.
Popularized by former USA president George W. Bush the term “War on Terror” finds its roots in the September 11th 2001 attacks on USA after which USA in Coalition with United Kingdom and NATO launched a global campaign against jihadist elements with the prime focus on Al-Qaeda.
A war breaks out when a compilation of reasons agitates another party into fighting back yet the insular views of the retaliator can sometimes work as a catalyst of war. In today’s world our war is against terrorism which has its reasons and roots so strong that it motivated a group of people sitting 11000 kilometers away to declare war against a country and the people of that country who they hardly knew about but considered as oppressors and bringers of hardship on themselves.
11 years of constant fighting has clearly revealed to the world that terrorism cannot be gunned down as suppression generates more aggression, hate and dislike towards a culture that is clearly misunderstood. Going back to the drawing board and sketching out a new policy looks hard especially when it involves listening to what the other party has to say and appreciate our differences, when it involves not only appreciating the differences but accepting them, honoring them and sincerely trying to find a mutual way forward despite the differences. It is hard when it involves pumping funds into economic and literacy development programs in far off countries rather than military research and weapons development but if done so these would be the first few step in the right direction.


- About Us
- Outreach and Training
- Beaver Classic™ Cheese
Food Science is Fun!
Whether your students are Kindergarteners or Seniors, food science is a wonderful way to add excitement to the classroom. Universities and food scientists from across the nation have worked to provide you with experiments and teaching tools to help you illustrate a wide variety of scientific principles using food science.
Below are links to some resources we hope will be of value to you as well as information about campus visits.
Please note that tours and campus field trips now must be scheduled through the Office of Precollege Programs and not directly with the department.
Resources for K-12 Teachers
Institute of Food Technologists—Knowledge Center - What is Food Science & Technology?
Access Excellence - IFT Experiments in Food Science Series - Food Chemistry Experiments
Penn State University - Youth - Food Science for Kids of All Ages!
Want to Visit Campus?
The Office of Precollege Programs annually hosts K-12 students, teachers and parents for a day at Oregon State University through our Campus Field Trips program intended to encourage and inspire youth to go to college. Groups spend between 2-4 hours at OSU: they may tour campus, eat lunch in a dining hall, visit a cultural center or stop by an athletic facility, and have a presentation and participatory or hands-on activity presented by a faculty member, staff, or students meant to enhance school curriculum as well as expose students to potential majors or careers. Each visit is different based on the ages and interests of the group and provides students a key college-access experience.
In order to provide your students with the best possible visit, please register for an OSU Campus Field Trip 4-12 weeks in advance. We prefer groups of 60 maximum so as not to overwhelm the campus community. Larger groups may need special tour accommodations and arrangements will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We will do our best to accommodate your group but cannot guarantee availability or specific activities. Contact Precollege Programs for more information (email@example.com, 541-737-9424)


With over 200 superior-quality illustrations, Anatomy & Kinesiology Flashcards offer students and professionals a convenient way to learn the configurations and actions of musculoskeletal systems with this iPhone-, iPad-, and iPod Touch-compatible app.
With over 200 superior-quality illustrations, Anatomy & Kinesiology Flashcards offer students and professionals a convenient way to learn the configurations and actions of musculoskeletal systems. This iPhone-, iPad-, and iPod Touch-compatible app offers students and professionals a dynamic way of studying and retaining information about these systems.
Unlike other anatomy flashcards that offer only anatomical illustrations, Anatomy & Kinesiology Flashcards cover all musculoskeletal structures and movements. The cards are organized into 10 sections: shoulder girdle, shoulder joint, elbow joint complex, wrist and hand joints, neck and atlanto-occipital joints, back-spinal joints, abdominal and respiratory area, pelvic girdle and hip joint, knee joint, and ankle and foot joints. Review cards showing the muscles acting on the structure, joints of the structure, and joint movements provide a solid foundation for working through the various sections. Anatomy & Kinesiology Flashcards include cards featuring key abbreviations, definitions of anatomical directional terminology, classifications of joints, general anatomical movement terms, and planes and axes of rotation for quick reference. The Overview tab in the app includes a section that covers bony landmarks.
The Anatomy & Kinesiology Flashcards app provides a convenient study tool for the configurations and actions of musculoskeletal systems. As users encounter each card, they can think about whether they are familiar with the material and then tap the card to reveal the answer. If necessary, users may then use a Custom Deck button to assign the card to a list of follow-up cards to refer back to for additional study.
Anatomy & Kinesiology Flashcards are a convenient option for students and professionals looking to review the configurations and actions of the musculoskeletal system. This tested approach offers portability and ease of use, making the flashcards an ideal study tool.
Bryan K. Fillmore is a doctoral candidate in physical therapy at Baylor University. He received a bachelor of science degree in exercise science from Brigham Young University and serves as a second lieutenant in the Army Medical Specialist Corps. Fillmore has served as adjunct faculty and student advisor in the exercise and sport science department at Brigham Young. He holds membership in the American Physical Therapy Association and National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a USA Weightlifting-certified sport performance coach.
Mark McKenna grew up in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, having lived in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. He received his bachelor of fine arts degree with an emphasis in illustration along with his bachelor of science degree in art education from Brigham Young University–Idaho. Since 2008 Mark has been working as a freelance illustrator, and his appears in numerous publications. He and his growing family reside in Cody, Wyoming, where he teaches art at the local high school. Outside of work, Mark has shifted most of his artistic endeavors to the fine arts, pursuing his passion for wildlife and landscape painting.
Lynn Robert Perkes, MS, ATC, received his master of science degree in analysis of human motion and bachelor of science degree in athletic training from Brigham Young University. He is a certified athletic trainer and a professor in the health, recreation, and human sciences department at Brigham Young University–Idaho. He teaches classes in kinesiology and biomechanics and health and fitness appraisal and prescription and serves as a faculty advisor to the university’s student-run wellness center.


Why Is Literacy Important?
Literacy includes speaking, listening, reading, and writing—the essential communication skills students need to succeed, both in school and the world beyond. Students gain confidence as they build competence in communication and critical thinking.
Early elementary students engage in speaking, listening, and writing activities to build fundamental reading skills. Upper elementary students use their literacy skills to learn. They solve math problems, conduct science projects, and explore the social sciences. Without fundamental literacy skills, students will struggle throughout their school years.
This toolkit provides innovative and research-based activities that will increase student motivation in language-based subjects. Sharing stories aloud, discussing favorite books, writing to pen pals, and acting out stories will engage students in academically enriching literacy activities.
Key Elements for Afterschool Literacy Planning
Research indicates that afterschool literacy activities benefit students most when staff:
- target texts and integrate skills;
- identify standards, assess needs, and define goals;
- incorporate real-world activities;
- consider student choice, grade, age, and skills;
- assess student progress; and
- provide ongoing staff training.
Target Texts, Integrate Skills
Create an engaging environment of texts—magazines, picture books, fiction, and non-fiction—that speaks to student interests and culture. The National Reading Panel identifies five early literacy skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. A balance of listening, speaking, reading, and writing about rich and intriguing texts will provide students with opportunities to practice these specific skills.
Identify Standards, Assess Needs, Define Goals
Each state establishes standards for literacy instruction at various grade levels, targeting skills and content to improve academic outcomes. Observing student needs and consulting with school-day teachers will help you understand state standards and identify appropriate learning goals for your student population. To see state standards for English Language Arts, go to http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/.
Incorporate Real-World Activities
Explore the world beyond the classroom with literacy activities. Engage reluctant readers with directions for cooking, carpentry, or games. Talk and write about their experiences after field trips or during science experiments. Interview community members about themes like work, family traditions, or history, and create books that tell their stories. Afterschool programs can help literacy feel less like a requirement and more connected to ideas and experiences that are useful in real life.
Consider Student Choice, Grade, Age, and Skills
Ask students about their favorite books and topics, and what interests them and why. Consult with classroom teachers and librarians to identify texts that correspond to grade, age, and skill levels appropriately. Use this research to plan fun and engaging activities that will reinforce school-day curriculum and goals.
Assess Student Progress
Frequent informal assessment—when staff and students share feedback about progress—will lead to growth in literacy skills. Establish learning goals that address student needs. Use journals, rubrics, displays, performances, and informal notes to frame positive discussions about how students use different learning strategies; how instructors can encourage positive risk-taking; what skills and strengths students are developing; and in which areas they can improve.
Afterschool evaluation plans also identify outcomes for formal assessment, requiring periodic data collection and annual reports; they may specify school attendance, student motivation, self-esteem, or behavior improvements without identifying achievement in academic subjects. Nevertheless, research indicates that positive literacy experiences will contribute to improvements in academic outcomes. If improved literacy is a targeted evaluation outcome, recurring formal assessments from the school or district can often provide relevant and informative data for reports.
Provide Ongoing Staff Training
Afterschool staff bring a wide range of backgrounds, training, and experience. Initial and ongoing training will get your staff on the same page about children's literacy development. Engage a district reading specialist, school-day teacher, or your most qualified staff member to provide training in basic literacy strategies, grade-level development, enrichment activities, and tutoring strategies for struggling readers.
Evidence: What Works in Afterschool
Literacy in Afterschool Programs: Literature Review (PDF) discusses evidence from studies that identify successful literacy practices and outcomes in afterschool programs.
English Language Learners: Literature Review (PDF) discusses evidence from studies that identify promising practices for improving the English literacy of children with other home languages.


"Constructing Melodic Jazz Improvisation" teaches style, phrasing control, solo development, creative content and not the typical "memorize the scale and pattern" approach. It was designed to meet all of the national standards and frameworks for music education. Students sing, perform on instruments, improvise, compose, read music, listen, analyze, critique, connect music to language, and learn the basic evolution of jazz improvisation. This book is specifically designed for beginning and intermediate level musicians in middle school through high school. All exercises are accessible and appropriate for musicians with basic skill levels, but can be easily adapted to include even the most advanced college level students. The 52-track CD includes 12 play along tracks and 40 example solos that demonstrate the techniques used within the book. The demonstration tracks are played by saxophone, trumpet and trombone. Each example solo is transcribed and included in the book. Ten chapters and hundreds of exercises progressively explore jazz improvisation from creative, melodic and technical perspectives in this 168-page book with a 52-track CD. Highly recommended!


Parliament passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill on August 4. Once the President gives assent to the Bill, every child in India between 6-14 years will be entitled to free and compulsory elementary education. Minister for human resource development, Kapil Sibal spoke about the landmark legislation and other issues concerning the country's education policy in an exclusive interview with KG Narendranath and CL Manoj. Excerpts:
Without doubt, there is a noble concept behind the Bill. But there are questions about its practicality and also its potential to undermine the state governments' role in education, an item in the concurrent list.
It is entirely without reason to doubt so. The (abysmal) standards of elementary education in the country have been a national concern. Now, sixty-two years after independence, we clearly can't wait any longer to take measures to create the critical mass of people at class 12 level, that is, people who are in a position to participate in the civil society in a meaningful way and hence contribute to nation-building.
This is all the more relevant for our country as we boasts of our demographic dividend and the intellectual reservoir we are capable of building in a world where knowledge is reckoned increasingly to be the real asset rather than physical properties or resources.
The Bill passed by Parliament would in no way interfere with the state government's role in providing elementary education. The Bill provides for giving priority to mother tongue as the medium of providing elementary education. Also, it envisages the setting up of state-level recognition authorities, which are required to ensure that all schools comply with the specified infrastructure standards within three years.
These authorities would de-recognize the schools failing in compliance. It will also be incumbent on these state-level authorities to ensure that the teachers are of required quality, that all teachers acquire the necessary knowledge level within five years. The Bill envisages a situation where the local communities can demand a new school as a right on the basis of demographics and other criteria and involve themselves in the management of the school.
But where do the resources come from? We are still 'aiming at' earmarking 6% of GDP for education, whereas the funds that are required to meet the Bill's objectives are in fact many multiples of that.
Two thirds of the government investment in education is by states and it is important they continue to (increasingly) invest in this sector. If things go well, by the end of the current five-year Plan, investment in education would be about 5.8% of GDP. In contrast, many developed countries invest around 10% in education.
This is despite the fact that they have already got the infrastructure in place, whereas we are still grappling with that issue...
True. So the gap is really huge. That is why we need the private sector and the tool of public private partnerships. The Bill envisages a situation where the public funds would come in droves to the education sector, of course, with government intervention to ensure that the underprivileged groups too get the benefit thereof.
We not only have to reinforce the public schooling system but also have to create the conditions in which the private sector can supplement the efforts to deliver quality education, even to the underprivileged.
If our literacy level is still 64.8% (of a one billion-plus people) that is clearly not something to be smug about, although it marks an improvement from 14% (of some 300 million people) at the time of independence.
How do you define literacy is also important.
Indeed, our threshold level of literacy is very low. This is but one indication of our problems with education. With an aim to remedy the situation, what the Bill would set in place is a broad-gauge; the fuelling of the engine will have to be done by sundry agencies other than the government including private players, NGOs and civil society groups.
How does the Bill conform to the principles of expansion, inclusion and excellence which the UPA government said would guide its education-reform measures?
We envisage greater involvement of the private sector in higher education and the setting up of 'innovation universities' through the public-private partnership model. Along with sustained government funding, these financing models would augment the pace of expansion.
The Bill stipulates, guided by the principle of inclusion, that even private schools should reserve a quarter of the seats to the underprivileged children. We are very clear that without paying heed to 'inclusion,' the nation cannot prosper.


Common Core, Commonplaces, and Community in Teaching Reading (with Susan B. Neuman), Reading Teacher (2013)
Joseph Schwab, a curriculum theorist, described four commonplaces, or universals, of teaching: content, students, milieu...
Helping Children Become More Knowledgeable Through Text (with Susan B. Neuman), Reading Teacher (2012)
With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards, curriculum resources are shifting from an...
More Than Teachable Moments: Enhancing Oral Vocabulary Instruction in Your Classroom (with Susan B. Neuman), Reading Teacher (2012)
This article describes both the benefits and the challenges of using 'teachable moments' as a...
Effects of a Brief but Intensive Remedial Computer Intervention in a Sub-Sample of Kindergartners with Early Literacy Delays (with Verna A C. Van der Kooy-Hoﬂand • and Adriana G. Bus), Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal (2012)
Living Letters is an adaptive game designed to promote children's combining of how the proper...
A Typology for Observing Children's Engagement with eBooks at Preschool (with Karen Burstein and Byeong-Keun You), Journal of Interactive Online Learning (2012)
This research reports a two-phase descriptive study of young children's engagement with ebooks conducted in...
Early literacy materials selector, ELMS : a tool for review of early literacy program materials (with Lisa Lenhart and Brandi Noll) (2012)
Oral Language and Early Literacy in Preschool: Talking, Reading, and Writing (with Patton O. Tabors and Lisa A. Lenhart) (2009)
Designing professional development in literacy : a framework for effective instruction (with Catherine A. Rosemary and Leslie K. Landreth), Catherine A. Rosemary (2007)
This highly practical guide is grounded in the authors' experience setting up and running a...
Play and literacy in early childhood : research from multiple perspectives (with James F. Christie) (2007)
Contributions to Books
Every Teacher Learning: Professional Development Design in P–3 Literacy Practice, Handbook of Research-Based Practice in Early Education (2013)
Print to pixel: Foundations of an e-book instructional model in early literacy (with Karen Burstein), Technology as a Support for Literacy Achievements for Children at Risk (2013)
Four Play Pedagogies and a Promise for Children's Learning (with James Christie), Knowledge development in early childhood : sources of learning and classroom implications (2012)
Three decades in: Priming for meta-analysis in play-literacy research (with James F. Christie, Sarah Widman, and Allison Holding), Early Childhood Literacy (2012)
ebook as a learning object in an online world (with Jeremy Brueck), Multimedia and literacy development : improving achievement for young learners (2009)
Review of "Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education" edited by Bernard Spodek and Olivia N. Saracho, Journal of Reading Behavior (1994)
Play's Potential in Early Literacy Development (with James F. Christie), Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development (2009)
First Principles for Early Grades Reading Programs in Developing Countries (with Dorothy Strickland, Janeen Haase, and Sakil Malik) (2009)
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) program is...
The State of State Prekindergarten Standards in 2003 (with Susan B. Neuman, Carol Vukelich, and Douglas Clements) (2003)
Currently, an increasing number of states support school readiness programs, recognizing that high quality early...
Creating Connections, Building Constructions: Language, Literacy, and Play in Early Childhood (2000)
In these politically charged times of early literacy initiatives, position statements, and education reform, talk...


Hale Woodruff was an African-American artist and one of the first college professors of studio art in Georgia. Woodruff moved to Paris in the 1920’s, where he joined the “Negro Colony” of artists like poet Claude McKay, sculptor Augusta Savage, philosopher Alain Locke and international performer, Josephine Baker. Woodruff returned to the U.S. four years later to teach students at Atlanta University. He taught classes at surrounding Spelman and Morehouse Colleges and brought major exhibits from around the country to the Atlanta University Center.
Woodruff’s major inspiration was Mexican painter Diego Rivera, a muralist, whom he met while spending time in Mexico.
Woodruff was born in 1900 in Cairo, Illinois. His mother was an impressive artist, inspiring Woodruff to occupy his time with drawing as a child. He furthered his art education at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis and the Fogg Museum at Harvard University.
Woodruff and friend Palmer Hayden won the Harmon award from the Harmon Foundation in 1936. The two received national acclaim. Edward Jackson, who was the governor of Indiana and a leading member of the state’s Ku Klux Klan, made a special trip to place the pin on Woodruff for his prestigious honor. The people of Franklin, Indiana (mostly white), held a fundraiser for Woodruff and raised $200 for his studies in Europe.
Some of Woodruff’s famous murals were: The Amistad Mutiny, The Negro in California History and the Art of the Negro. His paintings from the Talledega collection are now on display at the State Fair of Texas. The full exhibit, Rising Up: Hale Woodruff’s Murals From Talladega College, will live at the African-American Museum in Dallas until February. The Texas museum is the only independent African-American museum to host this show in the country. Woodruff’s work was first viewed in Texas in 1936 at the “Hall of Negro Life” during the states’ centennial celebration.
Hale Woodruff died in September 1980.


- Products & Services
- Digital & Mobile
- What We Do
Scott Foresman Social Studies meets the way you teach and the way your students learn! From reading & writing, to hands-on activities and technology, we've got the materials you need to help all students succeed.
Connecting is all about activating prior knowledge and jumpstarting your students’ journey into social studies. Essential Questions help students see the “big ideas” they’re learning about, and activate prior knowledge. They allow students to engage in an active discussion of what they already know about the topic, but also encourage them to think further. Check out the links below for examples.
Scott Foresman Social Studies offers a variety of ways for your students to think critically about key concepts—through reading, hands-on activities, and technology—so they actively experience the world they live in. Providing multiple ways to experience the content allows teachers and students to personalize learning. Check out the links below for examples.
Developing true understanding means that students don’t simply memorize facts, dates, and places. It means taking what they’ve learned and transferring that knowledge to new content, situations, ideas, and to their own lives. The goal is to help students become successful learners who will remember not only what they have learned, but how to learn more!
Pearson encourages 21st century learning by infusing the core subjects and themes throughout our programs—Life and Career Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, and Information, Media, and Technology Skills. The ultimate goal—to ensure that every child is prepared for the 21st century with skills like critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, innovation and global competence.
With Pearson’s interactive whiteboard-ready resources, students become more active and collaborative classroom learners and teachers are able to deliver memorable lessons, engage all types of learners, and reduce class preparation time.
Our fully digital programs and ebooks provide cutting-edge online instruction with a seamless transition from the textbook, allowing students to complete assignments, access videos and activities, and take online tests and remediation.
Language-acquisition expert, Dr. Jim Cummins, has worked exclusively with Pearson to embed powerful teaching approaches into Pearson programs, ensuring that English language learners receive the same high quality education as their peers. Dr. Cummins’ expertise in literacy development in multilingual school contexts, as well as the role of technology in promoting language and literacy development, have made Pearson programs the most effective resources for today’s ELLs.
Your Pearson sales representative is ready to partner with you to create a customized curriculum and professional development plan to help your struggling students and schools achieve success. Visit Pearson’s Grants and Funding Web site to find useful links to identify possible grants and resources for grant applicants applying for Pearson’s products.
At Pearson we continue to focus on your needs and on improving our customers' online experience. We invite you to complete the survey below, and greatly appreciate your input as a valued customer of Pearson.
It will only take a minute or two to complete. Your responses are confidential and for research purposes only.
Take the survey now!No Thanks Take the Survey


Column: What is ACCESS? (and really, another test?)
By DEBORAH J. MITCHELL, District 518
WORTHINGTON — ACCESS is an acronym for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners ( ). It is a large-scale test that first and foremost addresses the English language development standards that form the core of the WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) Consortium’s approach to instructing and testing English language learners. Minnesota belongs to the WIDA consortium which sets standards for students whose home language is not English.
The WIDA standards incorporate a set of model performance indicators that describe the expectations educators have for ELL students at five different grade level clusters, in five different content areas, and that incorporate each of the domains of language. Grade-level clusters include kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. The five content areas include social and instructional language, English language arts, math, science and social studies. The four domains of any language are speaking, listening, reading and writing.
The question arises, why must we administer another test. When a district, such as Worthington, receives Title III funds to facilitate students’ English language proficiency, accountability measures must be in place. Federal guidelines require states to define Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) to measure and report on English Learners (ELs) progress toward and attainment of English proficiency and academic achievement standards. Three specific AMAOs have been established under the law. These AMAO are:
1. The progress made toward achieving English language proficiency. These are measured by the annual increases in the percentage of students making progress in learning English based on the state of Minnesota’s proficiency assessment — that is, the ACCESS test.
2. The attainment of English language proficiency measured by the percentage of students meeting state criteria for English language proficiency as measured by ACCESS. Once students meet the state criteria, they no longer participate in EL programming.
3. Academic achievement and success as measured by the goals or targets for the EL subgroup under Title I assessment, as well as attendance and graduation for ELs. Title I assessments include MCA math and reading.
The focus of Title III, a component of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), is to help local education agencies ensure that English learners (ELs) and immigrant students attain English proficiency and meet the same challenging state standards required of all other students.
To achieve this goal, districts that receive Title III funds must provide high-quality professional development activities to staff involved in the instruction of ELs, including elementary education, content, English as a Second Language instruction, and Bilingual Education teachers and paraprofessionals. Worthington Public Schools does not presently provide bilingual education.
In addition, Title III funds may be used to enhance the language instruction education program already offered by the local education agency. Supplementary activities funded by Title III must be grounded in scientifically based research on teaching EL and immigrant children and youth. These supplementary programs are evidenced by after school teacher led study sessions, enhanced summer programs for English language learners and more.
Local education agencies participating in the Title III program are required to notify parents of their student’s participation in Title III programming annually and within 30 days of the beginning of the school year, or within two weeks if the student enters the district during the course of the school year. These notifications are sent annually, usually toward the end of August, to parents whose children receive these services.
ACCESS testing will be conducted in Worthington Public Schools in February and March this year. As always, students who are well rested, have a good breakfast and are prepared to do their best will be most successful on these assessments. If you and your family only speak English then your students will not take the ACCESS test.
Deborah J. Mitchell is coordinator of student education for District 518.


ILC Mandate and Origins
Credit and non-credit courses
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
GED Testing for high school equivalency
Prior learning assessment advice for mature students (PLAR)
The Independent Learning Centre (ILC) has a mandate from the Ontario Ministry of Education to provide:
- an alternative source of public education in English and French - complementing the traditional system for students who want or need independent study options
- services that are complementary and equivalent to public school boards - delivering credit courses, providing student support and granting OSSD at a distance
- technology-enhanced education - using new media to deliver online learning resources and facilitate student support
- exclusive GED Testing in Ontario - offering tests leading to nationally recognized high school equivalency certification
ILC: 80 Years of Service to Ontario
The ILC has been in the forefront of distance education and independent study for over 80 years.
Modernization and Multimedia
The ILC was transferred on April 1, 2002 from the Ontario Ministry of Education to TVO as part of the government's commitment to enhance lifelong learning through the creation of a distance education network in Ontario.
In recent years the ILC has evolved its service offering to include the latest software and internet-based delivery techniques. The ILC.org website now plays an increasing role in students' journeys - in facilitating enrolment, enriching and extending course work with online resources, and as a vehicle for engaging and supporting students. In 2007, the ILC won the Canadian new media Award for Excellence in Education.
The ILC is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Located in Toronto, the ILC is managed by TVO, the provincial educational communications authority.
The Early Years
The ILC was founded in 1926 when the Ontario Department of Education established the Correspondence Courses program to provide elementary education for children living in isolated areas of northern Ontario. In its first year, the program had only 75 students. The same year, the Railway School Car Program began to serve those who lived along the railway lines. The programs had a common objective - to bring education to children in isolated communities.
By the 1950s, a complete secondary school program was available through Correspondence Courses. Adults, who were attracted by the flexible nature of the program, enrolled in increasing numbers and have since become the ILC's predominant client group.


The 2009 National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Teaching Strategies make reference to:
- The Quality Teaching Framework (QTF)
- The Modelled, Guided and Independent teaching cycle
- The National Statements of Learning for English (SOL)
- Strategies, and activities to support those strategies
- Critical aspects of literacy development K—10 continuum
1. Quality Teaching Framework
Teachers are using the Quality Teaching model as a way of delivering the curriculum to improve student achievement. Quality Teaching has helped focus teachers attention on HOW they teach as much as on WHAT they teach.
Further information can be found at:
Quality Teaching Framework
2. Modelled, Guided and Independent Teaching and Learning Cycle
This model for explicit teaching is a recursive process which builds students knowledge in quality learning environments.
Teachers use literacy teaching strategies to introduce new knowledge, practise new literacy learning, consolidate literacy learning, and transfer and apply literacy learning. The purposes of modelled teaching, guided teaching and independent teaching are to:
- meet individual literacy learning needs
- move student literacy learning from dependent to independent
- support and extend student literacy learning.
Modelled teaching is mainly teacher-regulated and involves explicit or direct instruction in new learning, the focus of which is informed by assessment information. Students can say, "I have learned something new."
Guided teaching involves supported student practice where students take increasing control of new literacy learning. Students can say, "I will have a go by myself, but I might need some help."
Independent teaching involves supporting students to consolidate, transfer and apply new literacy learning. Students can say, "I know how to do it and when, where and why to use it."
These descriptions demonstrate how the degree of teacher and student control changes as students move from being dependent learners to independent learners. They have been informed by the previous NSW State Literacy Strategy (1997) and the work of Louden, et al., (2005) In Teachers Hands and Christine Edwards-Groves (2003) On task: focussed literacy learning.
Further information can be found at
3. The Statements of Learning for English
'Statements of Learning for English' is not a curriculum in itself. Instead, it contains a series of statements about essential opportunities to learn in this particular domain which education jurisdictions have agreed to implement in their own curriculum documents... 'Statements of Learning for English' contains two critical elements: the Statements themselves and their professional elaborations, which work together as a package, with the Statements also represented in expanded form in the professional elaborations.
Page 1 Statements of Learning for English Curriculum Corporation (2005).
4. Strategies and activities to support the strategies
The Teaching Strategies documents provide teachers with strategies which will assist students to:
- access the knowledge they need using strategies that are explicit, relevant and transferable to new situations
- develop their understanding of concepts
- transfer the skills they have developed by practising the strategies to new, contextual and varied situations.
5. Critical Aspects of Literacy development K—10 continuum
The K—10 Literacy continuum (draft) maps the critical aspects necessary for the development of literacy for students from before school to Year 10. The aspects identified are:
- Reading texts
- Aspects of writing
- Concepts about print
- Phonemic awareness
- Aspects of speaking
- Vocabulary knowledge.


“Keep their minds and bodies engaged in wonder during the summer months when they are not attending school.” That’s what Julie Olson, director of elementary education for the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools recommended last week. She was one of 39 education leaders who responded to my request for suggestions about what parents could do to encourage continued learning during the summer. They described a combination of community, school and family activities that can produce a summer with happy memories and student growth.
Stephen Jones, Little Falls superintendent, wrote: “The key to summertime learning for children is being able to consistently carve out a scheduled time for academic purposes. My advice is to “schedule” a specific amount of time for children to read, read and read some more … each and every day. Summer schedules for children are very sporadic; the wisdom to dedicate a consistent reading time will pay dividends for all ages of learners.”
Vern Capelle, Upsala’s dean of students, suggested: “Promote summer reading by having kids read books they want to read, at their reading level, to foster interest in reading. Students will continue to develop and improve their reading skills by reading throughout the summer, but it is important that they are reading something they are interested in.”
Mary Olson, director of communications and public relations for the Anoka-Hennepin School District, urged: “Get outside! Learn life science lessons by observing the natural world. Whether its studying a colony of ants carrying crumbs to an anthill in the backyard or listening to a loon yodel across a northern lake, children can learn much by observing the natural world, taking note of what they have seen and asking questions of themselves. (I wonder how much weight an ant can carry? I wonder if different loon calls have different meaning?) They can learn more about their observations by visiting a library or finding online resources.”
Peter Wieczorek, director of charter Northwest Passage High School in Coon Rapids, agreed. “Learning opportunities are all around. You don’t need to be in school to find great learning opportunities – visit a museum, nature center, parks program, community education, library or a local makers space,” he said.
Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota, the state’s teacher union, said, “For students in elementary and middle school: Read! Students should read books all summer (not too easy, but not too hard). Give children daily opportunities to read (maps, newspapers, even recipes) and give children a chance to read aloud. For students in high school: Read! Also, find opportunities to grow life skills, like meeting deadlines and personal responsibility through part-time jobs, volunteering and service projects.”
Gary Amoroso, executive director of Minnesota Association of School Administrators, urged families to consider programs that districts offer. “These activities can include academics as well as arts and crafts. This is a great way for a child to continue the learning process throughout the summer,” he said
Finally, Steve Allen, director of the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, said. “Summer programs often come in the form of applied learning opportunities that tend to really engage and/or motivate students. I’ve seen students really become encouraged about their learning after a summer of relevant and meaningful activities. Another reason that I encourage students to continue with summer extended time activities is that it continues to reinforce good study habits. Particularly with potentially at-risk students, it is beneficial to keep them in the routine of going to school. Finally, some of the best programs I’ve ever run have been summer credit make-up programs. Students may fail one or two classes along the way. If you can make those credits up during the summer, students don’t get overwhelmed and ‘give up hope.’ If a student gives up hope, we all lose.”
Modeling from families is key. That along with helping youngsters set and work toward goals, plus encouraging reading, exploring and talking, are great ways to spend the summer.
Joe Nathan, formerly a public school teacher and administrator, directs the Center for School Change. Reactions welcome, [email protected]


Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (February 27, 1863 - August 10, 1923) was a Spanish painter, born in Valencia, who excelled in the painting of portraits, landscapes, and monumental works of social and historical themes. His most typical works are characterized by a dexterous representation of the people and landscape under the sunlight of his native land. Joaquin Sorolla was the eldest child born to a tradesman, also named Joaquin, and his wife, Concepcion Bastida. His sister, Concha, was born a year later. In August 1865 both children were orphaned when their parents died, possibly from cholera. They were thereafter cared for by their maternal aunt and uncle. He received his initial art education, at the age of fourteen, in his native town, and then under a succession of teachers including Cayetano Capuz, Salustiano Asenjo. At the age of eighteen he traveled to Madrid, vigorously studying master paintings in the Museo del Prado.
After completing his military service, at twenty-two Sorolla obtained a grant which enabled a four year term to study painting in Rome, Italy, where he was welcomed by and found stability in the example of F. Pradilla, the director of the Spanish Academy in Rome. A long sojourn to Paris in 1885 provided his first exposure to modern painting; of special influence were exhibitions of Jules Bastien-Lepage and Adolf von Menzel. Back in Rome he studied with Jose Benlliure, Emilio Sala, and Jose Villegas.