5D – Monday and Friday
5F – Wednesday and Thursday
5C – Wednesday and Friday
Unit of Inquiry
This week students have been conducting their own inquiry into the environmental impact of Carbon Dioxide emissions. They have worked collaboratively to gather facts and have presented their findings considering how best to engage the audience.
Students have also started the design process for their sensory toy in small groups. They were full of enthusiasm and had lots of unique and creative ideas about what the toy might do and become. We revised some of the features about parallel and series circuits so they could use this information to inform their decision making.
Our writing focus this week has been on writing to entertain and inform.
We have used the knowledge gained from our water unit to write a narrative nonfiction piece about the water cycle. Students are working hard to use a variety of writing techniques to engage and connect with the reader. They then self and peer assessed their writing, offering constructive feedback to their peers.
In number maths this week and over the next couple of weeks we will be recapping the four operations. We started this week with division and we used our knowledge to solve word problems and, in some cases, multi-step word problems.
In strand maths we have started to look at time, specifically converting 12 hour time to 24 hour time. We have also started to tackle word problems involving reading, interpreting timetables, calculating time differences and durations.
Transdisciplinary Theme – How the World Works
Central Idea –
Energy can be converted and transformed to support everyday life.
An inquiry into..
- Transformation of energy (function)
- Renewable and non-renewable energy (connection)
- Sustainable energy use in everyday life (causation)
An inquiry into.
- the relationship between common fractions and decimal fractions.
- relationships between fractions, decimals, percentages.
- problems involving ratios and proportion.
Questions we are exploring in this unit:
What is a common fraction?
What is a decimal fraction?
What is the relationship between common fractions and decimal fractions?
What is an equivalent fraction?
How do I convert between common fractions and decimals fractions?
What is simplifying?
What is LCD? (Lowest common denominator)
How do you simplify fractions?
What is percentage?
How is percentage related to fractions and decimals?
Where do we use percentages?
What is ratio?
What is proportion?
When do we use ratio and proportion?
Strand Maths – Data Handling
An inquiry into…
- Represent probabilities as a fraction
- Identify outcomes of chance experiments including equally likely outcomes
- Identify situations that are mathematically fair or unfair
Reading Focus – For this unit, our reading comprehension strategies is Determining Importance
Determining Importance – Readers read with a purpose and look for what is important.
Determining importance is a strategy that readers use to distinguish between what information in a text is most important versus what information is interesting but not necessary for understanding.
Writing Focus – Narrative Nonfiction
Big Idea: To get information across to a reader in an engaging but clear way using various structures depending on the purpose
- Read the Weekly Update
- Mathletics – continue with the set tasks or feel free to try any others that you feel you want to practice.
- Prodigy – please continue on with your Prodigy online games.
- Quizlet – please continue to use Quizlet to help you learn your spelling words and meanings.
- Spelling – The children are sent home their 10 personal words that they need to learn for the week. The will happen on a Monday for 5F, Wednesday for 5D and Friday for 5C. Please, can a parent (or responsible adult) support the children by...testing them (written or oral), getting them to put their words into interesting sentences (written or oral), discussing the meanings of the words, thinking about synonyms and antonyms of that word, discussing words with a similar meaning etc.
- Reading – The children will be choosing leveled readers based on their own ability and are expected to read each night for at least 20mins at home with a parent. The children need to record their reading in their Reading Journals and parents can you please sign your child’s journal each night? Journals need to be returned to school each morning to be checked and will come home each evening (except Friday). Children may use Big Universe twice a week (only) as their choice of home reading
- Mandarin Home Learning –


A set of developmental continua describe observable behaviors or actions called “indicators”. These behaviors or action are clustered in phases of development. Within a phase the indicators are often similar in their degree of difficulty and compliment each other. They work together. When most of the indicators in a phase are observable in a student’s work on a consistent basis, in a variety of situations, over a period of time (more than once!!) it can be said that a student has attained that phase. Teaching can begin to address indicators in the next phase. Indicators can also reflect a certain degree of increasing difficulty in relation to each other, within a phase, but in which order any given student will acquire them may vary greatly.
For example in the list below for Exploring Literacy in Reading, different children will not necessarily acquire these in this order but one can see how the indicators all relate to relatively the same level of reading development.
- names all letters of the alphabet
- matches sounds to letters
- recognizes words that rhyme
- reads some sight words
Once the student’s phase of development in Reading, Writing or Talk has been determined, based on what s/he is able to do, the continuum will also show what still needs to be developed within that phase in order for the student to move along in their learning. The student’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZDP),(Vygotsky) has been established. This information now can help guide our teaching.
It is important to remember that if learning activities are below the phase of development of the student s/he will find the tasks very easy and before long will loose interest as there is no real challenge.. they know this stuff already. If the learning tasks are to far beyond the student’s phase of development s/he will soon feel there is no possibility of success as the mountain is too high and slowly (or not so slowly) disengage from the activity. We often wonder why students are disengaged or unmotivated in class. This may in part be due to the fact that the activities are not targeting their zone of proximal development where they are challenged to do new things but can also attain success and be aware of their progress.
Screen Shot from Digital Version
The Literacy Continuum looks at three areas, Reading, Writing and the Talk. However, this is really for practical purposes only. Literacy development does not occur in isolation in three separate domains. Reading, Writing and Talk are strongly interlinked and interdependent. This does not mean that a student will necessarily be in the same phase in all three areas. However, the areas of strength of a student can be engaged in developing teaching and learning strategies that will help develop the areas that are not as strong.
In order to be able to make professional judgements about how a student is doing in a particular phase and what indicators have been demonstrated consistently, in a variety of situations, over a period of time, the teacher will need evidence. One of the most effective approaches is to have students keep a process portfolio of their work. That is to say an organized selection of artifacts that reflect the learning of the student. These can be work samples, audio recordings, videos of an activity or photos of projects, events etc. A digital portfolio such as EPEARL is ideal for this.


‘Sounds to Sentences’ – Literacy Program
Do you know a person who is having difficulties with their reading and writing skills? Our Sounds to Sentences program aims to equip children with the foundational skills they will require for literacy competence.
Children attending will be provided with strategies to assist in decoding for reading and segmenting for spelling. With a strong emphasis on the link between letters and the sounds that they make, as well as morphology (think ‘–ing’, ‘-ed’ and ‘s’ endings), we will enhance the skills your child has already learnt and begin to build upon these.
The program will be held again as an intensive, being 2 hours a day across three days in the Easter school holidays Wednesday11th, Thursday 12th and Friday 13th of April
Cost – $420 (6 hours of intervention)
Please contact the clinic on 5975 1500 for more information.


Developmentally appropriate practices must guide decisions about whether and when to integrate technology and interactive media into early childhood programs.-the NAEYC/Fred Rogers Center joint position statement on Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs (2012)
Coding and computational thinking can often feel overwhelming to fit into a busy early childhood program and some early childhood educators may be uncomfortable teaching young children to code for a variety of reasons, including not having prior experience with coding. As you’ll see in these hands-on play and lesson plans developed by our TEC Mentors (many of whom were new to coding and robotics) these concepts and experiences can be meaningfully and appropriately integrated into early childhood programs in many different contexts with a variety of early childhood materials and technology tools. Educators can confidently introduce and support coding and computational thinking when they have access to resources supporting their own learning.
TEC Center’s associate director, Tamara Kaldor explains how to introduce these concepts in her blog post, The T In STEM: Creating Play-Based Experiences That Support Children’s Learning Of Coding And Higher Order Thinking, published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). In this post, Kaldor explains what coding and computation thinking are, which early childhood developmental skills support coding and computational thinking, and ways you are probably already integrating it into your classroom or early childhood program.
NOTE: When you are reading their plans scroll through the whole plan as many educators have added pictures that can be quite useful.
As you read these plans note that many of them use photography and video that include images of children. The TEC Center promotes and believes that children have the right to know how and where their images and voices will be used and the right to refuse sharing their images, voices and work online.
Before you take pictures or video of children remember to:
- talk to your school leadership first about your plans
- ask parents/guardians to sign a release form provided by the school or program
- ask each child for permission and tell children how their images will be used
- protect a child’s privacy and digital footprint by putting a shape or positive emoji over a child’s face before sharing it on social media platforms to protect a child’s privacy
- Before sharing images of children with parents and caregivers make sure to review guidelines for protecting their privacy with parents, including reminding parents to
- ask for permission from your child if you can post an image, video or project online and respect your child’s wishes
- share with care and post images of only your child online
- be positive and a good digital citizen by posting only positive comments, photos and videos a child would be proud to show someone later in life-never shame your own child or another child online
Here are 3 coding and computational thinking play or lesson plans developed by our TEC Mentors:
- How Robots Move: Introduction to Coding, Developed by Meghan Kopfer, Preschool educator
- Ms. Kopfer introduces the terms “coding”, “code”, and “program” to her preschoolers in this play and lesson plan by harnessing the students’ prior experiences with technology. This lesson plan meets the students where they are at in their learning, allowing the children to apply their background knowledge to new concepts in a developmentally appropriate way.
- Carpet Time Coding, Developed by Janet Kusinski, Kindergarten educator
- Introducing coding does not require a screen or any digital technology, as Ms. Kusinski proves in this lesson plan introducing coding to her Kindergarten classroom. Ms. Kusinski introduces coding in a simple way, focusing on foundational skills such as directionality, sequencing, and patterns.
- Coding and Seeds, Developed by Kristina Navarro, Second Grade educator
- Ms. Navarro’s second-grade students explore screen-free coding, storytelling, and research and inquiry as they intentionally code for seed dispersal. The complexity of coding and computational thinking play and lesson plans could vary greatly depending on the students’ abilities. Ms. Navarro suggests ways to modify the plan to meet the needs and abilities of all students.
Additional related resources:
- TEC Center’s Associate Director, Tamara Kaldor, Featured In Forbes article by Talia Milgrom-Elcott, Co-Founder and Executive Director of 100Kin10
- Toying the Tech: Early Coding and Computational Thinking in a Museum Setting blog post by 2016-17 intern, Jessica Kubacki
- Selecting Tools: Choosing Collaborative Coding a story of policy-to-practice by educator, Jennifer Zacharis


With so much of the current focus on electronic media for children, the wonders of puppet play are often overlooked. What a shame! Both at home and at school, puppet play offers tremendous benefits for a child’s development. Not surprising considering puppets have been around for about 3,000 years. Yes, they’re old but to last for that long, they must provide something very special to people. “Puppets are both entertaining and captivating.” (www.creativityinstitute.com/puppetsineducation.aspx) In fact, they’re not only extremely useful as an educational toy that connects play with learning but also in supporting children’s development in several important areas.
Puppet Play Supports Language and Literacy Development When a parent or a teacher uses puppets, stories come to life so that the telling of the story becomes an enriched, fun-filled learning experience that is even more meaningful for children. The puppets can sing, dance, speak in rhyme, touch, laugh, or cry. By capturing children’s attention, they strengthen listening skills and vocabulary development. Puppets are also “a valuable means for promoting oral language skills and confidence in public speaking” (www.earlychildhoodnews.com). They encourage creative play by stimulating the imagination. Turn the puppets over to the children and let them recite and retell the story or use their imaginations to create a story of their own.
Puppet Play for Social/Behavioral Development In the social/behavioral sphere, the benefits of puppet play are noteworthy. Emotions such as pain, fear, joy, aggression, frustration, shame, anxiety, and problems such as illness or death in the family etc., many of which a child may be reluctant to share, can be expressed through puppet play. “Through puppets, children feel empowered to speak and behave on behalf of the character [puppet] they are portraying” (www.earlychildhoodnews.com). A child’s sensitive feelings and concerns can be acted out with puppets and this can help attentive parents or teachers better understand what is bothering a child. Sometimes timid, shy or non-assertive children will use puppets to express and work through emotions or problems that are difficult for them to talk about or deal with directly. With puppets, all of a sudden, it becomes easier to communicate. This builds confidence.
Puppet Play for Conflict Resolution In addition, the use of puppets invites role play where a teacher or parent can explore with children issues such as conflict resolution, empathy, how to deal with aggression and bullying from others, how to be kind and helpful, etc. There is a variety of social/behavioral issues that are important for children to learn and that are of concern today where the use of puppets is very useful.
Puppet Play for Thinking Skills When children use puppets to tell stories, a number of cognitive skills come into play. They can retell stories using their memories and sequencing the events. They can also alter the stories, thinking of different endings, additional events, and projecting the characters’ lives and events into the future. And then, there’s the creation of their own stories, further stimulating their creativity and imagination, developing their problem solving skills and their ability to narrate.
Puppet Play for Motor Skills Whether it’s a marionette, a hand puppet or a finger puppet, learning to manipulate the various parts of the puppet requires fine and in some cases gross motor skills. Without a doubt, puppets offer a multitude of learning opportunities and fun for children from the earliest age up through adolescence. And although it hasn’t been discussed here, having children make their own puppets provides additional un and opportunities for creativity. Puppets “help children to be inventive and artistic, and they allow for children’s visions and inspirations to come to life” (www.teachmag/archives/5618).
Do you use puppets with children? If so, how? I’d love to hear from you.
Photo credit: lindsayshaver / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)


Algebra Readiness, SRA
About the Program
Algebra Readiness gives students a full-year comprehensive curriculum for the fundamentals of Algebra I.
- Explicit instructions with a variety of activities and strategies to introduce concepts, and build skills and understanding
- Assessment options to evaluate student proficiency and inform instruction
- Wide variety of teaching tools, including electronic tools and online support
Every lesson in SRA Algebra Readiness has two versions: A and B. If students grasp the concept using the A version, they can move on to the next lesson. But if they are struggling, the B version offers a reintroduction and further development and practice, ensuring that teachers have the resources to address student needs.
SRA Algebra Readiness begins by developing the foundational concepts in number sense, basic skills, and rational numbers. This includes fractions, decimals, and percents that underlie algebraic understanding. With the completion of Algebra Readiness, students who previously have not been successful in mathematics will have mastered the foundational skills and pre-algebraic concepts needed for any Algebra I course.
SRA Algebra Readiness units address: Whole numbers and operations, rational numbers, operations on rational numbers, symbolic notation/equations and functions, the coordinate plane and graphing, and algebra.
Algebra Readiness, Instructional Activity Cards
SRA Math - eMath Tools CD-ROM
Algebra Readiness, Assessment Blackline Master
Algebra Readiness, Practice Blackline Master
Algebra Readiness, Student Edition
Algebra Readiness, eTextbook CD-ROM
Number Worlds, Vocabulary Card Package I
Number Worlds, Vocabulary Card Package II


Chinese New Year
Like Christmas and Easter books, Chinese New Year books are seasonal ones that I like to gradually collect and rotate in and out of my home and school library. 2020 is the Year of the Rat, the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.
We always look forward to Chinese New Year celebrations, but still miss our wonderful Macanese homestay student Rachel – why did you have to grow up, finish school and move out to independent living?! I love the picture below of the girls attempting to hold themselves back from her special butterfly biscuits. I’ve tried to make them but they are not the same!
Below are my absolute fav books for celebrating this time of year.
Top Ten Books for Celebrating Chinese New Year
To purchase any of these titles from Booktopia or read more about them – click on title links!
‘Fang Fang’s Chinese New Year’ by Sally Rippin.
‘The Great Race’ by Christopher Corr.
‘Race for the Chinese Zodiac’ (out of print ATM) but read more about it here.
‘The Magic Brush’ by Kat Yeh. Illustrated by Huy Voun Lee.
‘Long-Long’s New Year’ by Catherine Gower. Illustrated by He Zhihong.
‘A New Year’s Reunion’ by Yu Li-Qiong. Illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang.
‘Chinese New Year : Origami Festivals’ by Robyn Hardyman.
Follow these books up in the home, classroom or library:
- Find China on a map or globe. Discuss and/or write a list of all the things you know about China. Now use a selection of non fiction books and the Internet to find out five additional facts about China.
- Check out these most darned excellent dragon bookmarks
- 50 Chinese New Year activities here
- Cherry Blossom crafts here
- Your class or group will have many different cultural backgrounds represented. Brainstorm a list of all the significant cultural celebrations you can think of including Chinese New Year.
- How do we celebrate New Year in Australia? How do the Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year? Highlight differences and similarities. Try this activity as a venn diagram.
- Turn home corner into a restaurant celebrating Chinese New Year. Create visual and written lists of all the things you will need and all the roles that will need to be played. Provide chopsticks!
- ‘Child friendly’ chopsticks are great for fine motor skill development, and eating fun!
- Give small groups or individuals the task of researching a different animal from the Chinese Zodiac
- Find other books written and/or illustrated by Chinese authors like Gabrielle Wang and Christopher Cheng.
- Visit your local Chinatown. Find out about events they may be holding to celebrate Chinese New Year.
- These are some great Chinese New Year craft ideas at Red Ted Craft.
- Well it wouldn’t be a proper Chinese celebration without some food! We are all massive fans of pot sticker dumplings and this Donna Hay recipe is a great one.


The Visual Arts
Young children greatly benefit from opportunities to express themselves in non- verbal forms so they are able to develop emotional health. Our Visual Arts program includes: Appreciation, Interpretation, Presentation, Courageous Expression, Two and Three-dimensional Artforms; Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Textiles, etc
|Objectives of the Visual Arts
- Promote life-long learning skills
- Foster personal reflection on the creative process
- Appreciate those in our local and global community who contribute in unique ways
- Analyse historical context in our society
- Develop exploration and experimentation of ideas and media
- Communicate ideas through a variety of Media
- Engender personal responsibility
- Celebrate achievement
- Recognise the Creator God as the source of creativity
- Know that a personal relationship with the Creator God can be experienced and that understanding of life can be expressed through Art works
At Maranatha, we recognise the growing influence of Asia and its importance to Australia. Thus, we seek to prepare students with some of the communication and language skills needed for the ‘Asian Century’.
Primary Mandarin students practise vocabulary and common sentences around the tops of family, school, animals, travel and recreation.
Along the way, they explore Chinese culture and learn to recognise several Chinese characters.
PERFORMING ARTS (MUSIC)
The aim of the Music program is to acknowledge God as the Creator and Giver of the gift of music. Music theory, history and aural training is taught from a Biblical perspective. Students are involved in a range of learning activities which develop music appreciation skills. In the early years, students are engaged in listening, singing, movement to music and keeping the beat.
Regular school productions are a feature across the school.
All children participate in PE and sport. It is a positive and enjoyable experience as we offer a variety of non-competitive activities as well as the more traditional games, skill enhancing opportunities and Interschool sporting programs. This makes the Physical Education Program appealing to a broad selection of children of varying ability levels. The emphasis is placed on the children having fun, improving their own personal abilities and developing them to their fullest potential.
Children who combine a balanced diet with regular activity are often happier, healthier and more ready to learn. Not only is it beneficial to a child’s physical well-being, physical activity also has numerous substantial benefits in terms of social interaction, mental alertness and motor skill development.
Prep to Year 5 students take part in an intensive swimming program. Lessons assist in developing water safety strategies and enhance technique.
INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Throughout the Primary school, students have the opportunity to use technology in a variety of ways. There is explicit teaching in the Computer Laboratory. The use of technology is being progressively integrated and incorporated across most subject areas. Students have access to laptops in classrooms, Interactive Whiteboards and other technology such as digital cameras and iPads.
A variety of skills are taught, computer competencies are developed and programs such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint are taught at specific year levels. Our Junior School students are taught Cyber Safety through a variety of programs such as Hector’s World and Skooville.


The Leap to Know pre-literacy app
The Leap to Know pre-literacy app is an interactive school-readiness programme. It works off-line on Android tablets. A team of experienced teachers, content specialists and developers is responsible for its ongoing development. The app targets pre-literacy children (even older ones) who may not have played on a tablet before. Children who need to develop their English listening, speaking and reading skills will benefit from the app too.
Field tests have shown that the app engages learners effectively. The app is also fully intuitive so that learners can proceed without the help of an adult. Stories provide the context for the interactive activities and games that follow
The app can furthermore monitor individual progress. The learner’s progress to the next level then only happens when certain building blocks are in place. The Leap to Know pre-literacy app comprises the first phase of our planned programme.
Completing the Leap to Know pre-literacy app will ensure the following measurable outcomes:
- Entrenched understanding of numbers, shapes, and colours
- Awareness of letter-sound relationships
- Text awareness
- Vocabulary enhancement
- Improved listening skills
- Improved perceptual and fine motor skills
- Enhanced interest in the immediate surroundings
- Enhanced academic confidence.
Each learner equipped with the above-mentioned skills has a substantially better chance of passing Foundation Phase with success and, consequently, of excelling in the higher grades. This app is therefore an important stepping stone for children who do not have the opportunity to develop the necessary skills before they start formal schooling.
The pre-literacy app is available in English and Swahili. It can easily be translated and configured for use in different languages. Our content has now also been translated into Setswana, Sepedi and Afrikaans. A database configuration enables quick translation into other languages.
The entire Leap to Know app, once fully developed, will guide young learners to teach themselves reading, writing and numeracy skills. We are furthermore positioned to test the app in various venues, gather information about user interaction from the app and improve it on a continuous basis.
Swahili-speaking girls reading a Leap to Know story


- November 27, 2019
- Posted by: admin
- Category: Uncategorized
In today’s modern era, both academic and non-academic areas are of equal importance. Initially, only the academic domains were given more importance but nowadays, due to the hike in competition in every field, all the domains are important for the overall development of the child. Today’s generation wants to excel in every field and want to be exceptionally better.
One such field of study that is gaining popularity these days is Music Course. It is a field of education that is related to the complete learning and teaching of music. It covers all the domains of learning like psychomotor, the cognitive domain and the affective domain. Music courses should be introduced to children from preschool only as it is a fundamental component that represents our culture and behavior.
Musical training is proved to be very beneficial for the overall development of a child. It covers all the main domains that are involved in the course of music. The areas of the brain related to language and reasoning will get properly developed and the left side of the brain is better developed with the music.
One of the best institutes that offers quality music education is Audiotech. It is an internationally recognized certified field where you can get quality music education.
Benefits that we get from the music courses from Audio Tech Academy
• With trained experts, it helps in developing the language skills as the left side of the brain gets developed properly, the left side of the brain is associated with the language learning
• Our trainers focus on enhancing the listening skills as musicians need to hear tunes, tempos, harmonies which in turn responsible for the auditory development of the brain.
There are so many advantages that people can get by learning music, so one should not lag in grabbing this opportunity to learn music. Learn something new and innovative in the field of music and stand out in the crowd.


Arts education is an important component of any child’s development because it teaches teamwork, analytic, and creative skills. These skills are often left out of traditional curricula that emphasize technical skills, such as math and science, to prepare students for undergraduate degrees, master’s degrees, and even Ph.D.s in a rewarding field of study. This leaves children little room for individual expression and a chance to work on personal development and concentration.
Art can also help children work out any frustrations in their lives by offering a healthy, expressive medium. In addition, exposure to art and the chance to develop their own art provides children with a more diversified experience that can help them in the classroom as well, allowing them for more opportunities for an enhanced learning experience. In the classroom art education is a crucial component for a child’s personal development. Several studies have concluded that art education is very important at a young age, because children are still developing their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students also have the opportunity to fine-tune their motor skills through art. The cognitive processes involved in learning to draw accurately, choose the right colors and shapes, and create detailed work help children develop the motor skills associated with these tasks. In terms of musical arts, students are able to use their knowledge of musical notes and translate that into math skills. Musical rhythms can provide a way for students to learn fractions, counting, and patterns in a way that traditional classrooms cannot teach.
Studies have also shown that there is a direct correlation between arts education at a young age and academic achievement later in life. It is much easier for children to learn about the arts and integrate their studies into their daily lives than it is for adults. This is because of the way the brain develops. The child’s brain is able to absorb more material and adjust accordingly than the adult brain, which is less dynamic and less able to accommodate for new information. As a result, children who studied arts at a young age achieve more academic success later in life than those who did not.
Arts education for young children is also a way to get students more involved in the learning process. Classes that have hands-on activities, such as painting, drawing, building, or designing projects, provide students with an outlet for their feelings and thoughts and keep them interested in learning. This is especially true for young students, who often have trouble focusing in the classroom when teachers give lectures or lessons that are not interactive. Through art and other applicable teaching tools that allow students to work on a project hands-on, students are more excited about learning and often take home a clearer lesson than they would otherwise. As a result, students who participate in their own creative art projects are able to focus more and take pride in their work, which motivates them to work harder to achieve their goal.
The importance of art in a child’s development is undeniable. Especially for young children who are still developing key cognitive and motor skills, art enables them to work on their own projects that are applicable to daily life. Students who study art at a young age tend to have higher test scores and have more academic success later in life. Art provides students an outlet for emotional troubles, as well, and helps them to deal with stress and difficult feelings. These benefits clearly show the value of art education and call for its increased inclusion in school curricula for children.


Art history exhibit in University Library at Freie Universität Berlin from April 25 to June 27 / Exhibit opening on April 25 at 5 p.m.
No 099/2019 from Apr 16, 2019
A new exhibit in the University Library of Freie Universität Berlin is devoted to print reproductions of works of art. It provides a historical overview of the impact of the reproduction of works of art in the book market while also exploring the issue of educational and ideological interests associated with reproduction. The exhibit entitled "Cheap Pictures. Popular Works of Art in Monographs and Portfolio Collections since 1900 based on the example of Albrecht Dürer" was curated by students at Universität Siegen under the direction of art historians Joseph Imorde and Dr. Andreas Zeising. The exhibition will run from April 25 through June 27. Admission is free.
From about 1890 on, the autotype, a new photomechanical reproduction process, has made it possible to reproduce photographic copies of works of art in large print runs. Since then, publishing houses such as E. A. Seemann in Leipzig have specialized in the production and distribution of inexpensive art monographs and picture books that convey famous works of art to a broad audience. According to curator Andreas Zeising, this development changed art history from a bourgeois elitist discipline to a popular science in which pictorial reproduction has gained its own significance. The aim of the exhibition is to illustrate this largely neglected field of popular art education since 1900 with the use of original documents.
The exhibit focuses on the work of the painter and graphic artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). According to Zeising, Dürer’s work became popular in Germany due to the relatively cheap monographs and portfolios, and the folksiness attributed to Dürer’s work stems from a very successful marketing strategy. Zeising says, "The alleged folksiness was also an expression of a general longing for a national identity beyond class contradictions and barriers to education, which found its material counterpart in the medium of the mass image. The items in the exhibit illustrate how the artistic image and its art-historical mediation were utilized in the Wilhelmine Empire, the Weimar Republic, and the National Socialist Third to unite the population."
- Foyer, University Library, Freie Universität Berlin, Garystraße 39, 14195 Berlin (subway station: Freie Universität/Thielplatz, U3)
Time and Location of the Exhibit
- April 25 to June 27
- Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- University Library, Freie Universität Berlin, Garystraße 39, 14195 Berlin (subway station: Freie Universität/Thielplatz, U3)
- Dr. Susanne Rothe, University Library, Freie Universität Berlin, Email: rothe [at] ub.fu-berlin (p) de
- PD Dr. Andreas Zeising, Art History Department, Universität Siegen, Email: zeising [at] kunstgeschichte.uni-siegen (p) de


Looking for Art Worksheets for your Art Lesson?
Our FREE art support materials could be the answer you are looking for.
Art teachers know children often don’t realise they can compose a picture just like they can compose a story. Therefore, understanding a little about composition could make a child’s painting much more coherent. Why not download our FREE Art Worksheets for use in your art lessons. How to Compose a Picture will enhance your student’s art education and their paintings.
Art teachers know younger children can find the basics of colour mixing rather difficult, but it should be part of their art education. This art worksheet covers; primary colours, secondary colours and complementary colours and how to create tints and shades simply. In addition, for more detailed information see the video below. Improve you students understanding by downloading our FREE Art Worksheets.
Older art students need a basic understanding of colour theory as part of their art education, especially those studying GCSE and A Level art courses. Art teachers, colour relationships and how colours are affected by colours around them is covered in this worksheet. More details in the video below. Improve your students knowledge by downloading this FREE Art Worksheet.
Other Art Support Material
- For more support materials for new art teachers, especially those in primary or elementary schools, checkout the Teacher Zone
- Looking for background art history information to improve the art education of your students? Check out Art History Notes for artist’s biographies and art movement information


Jevel Demikovski (known as Jules Olitski), painter, printmaker, and sculptor, was born on this day, 1922 in Snovsk, Russia. Two years after his birth and the execution of his father by the Soviet government, his family moved to the United States and settled in New York. That is where Olitski attended the National Academy of Design and Beaux Arts Institute. His art education further continued in Paris (at the Ossip Zadkine School and the Académie de la Grande Chaumiére) where his first solo show was exhibited at Galerie Huit in 1951.
His simple but thoroughly thought-out compositions of circular shapes began to dominate as Olitski decided to focus exclusively on colour and avoid any figurative and narrative motifs or personal expression in his paintings. The artist experimented with different ways of applying diluted paint, sometimes with rollers or sponges, in order to ‘stain’ the canvases, so that the paint would soak in and dry on its own. In 1965 Olitski presented new, pioneering approach in his works - he began to use industrial spray guns. This technique enabled him to produce paintings that drew viewers’ attention to the qualities of pure colour and to achieve perfectly seamless transitions of pigment. The subtle changes in intensity, tonal gradation and illusions of misty layers, floating in the air rather than being painted directly by the artist, seem to lack any traces of the human hand.
Olitski is often credited for the development of the so-called Color Field movement. As it is characterized by emphasis on the large fields of monochromatic pigment and devotion to pure abstraction, his works from mid-1960s, such as Patutsky in Paradise (1966), perfectly encompass these ideas. Even though Olitski was not as popular as some of his contemporaries associated with this movement, his ‘spray’ pieces are said to be some of the most important produced within the Color Field.
During 1960s his works were exhibited all over the globe and, in 1966, Olitski himself was selected to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. What is more, in 1969 he became the first living US-born artist to be given a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by showcasing a series of spray-painted sculptures.
Olitski died on February 4th, 2007 in New York.


MUSC3335 Music in the Sixties
- 6 points
|Semester 2||UWA (Perth)||Face to face|
- Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 3 option in the Music Studies; Music Specialist Studies; Music General Studies major sequences
- The area of knowledge for this unit is Design and Creative Arts
- Category B broadening unit for students
- Level 3 elective
- The 1960s witnessed the emergence of genres, styles, composers and performers that changed the western musical landscape. In this unit, students explore some of the important figures, music, and events that defined this decade. Through a series of case studies drawn from a variety of genres and styles, students examine key musical developments, as well as investigate the ways in which music contributed and responded to social and cultural upheavals, and the important role music played in the forging of personal and political identities. Examples of topics of study may include repertoire drawn from European modernism, American and British experimentalism, Jazz, and popular music.
- Students are able to (1) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how western music in various genres developed during the 1960s; (2) identify and analyse musical characteristics in repertoire drawn from a variety of genres significant in the 1960s; (3) analyse music within the social, cultural and political context of the 1960s; (4) develop proficient organisational, interpersonal and presentation skills through active participation in lecture/seminar activities; and (5) demonstrate comprehensive research skills by conducting an independent research project and writing a research essay.
- Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) participation; (2) journal; and (3) research portfolio. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit except in the case of a bachelor's pass degree student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 overall and is currently enrolled in this unit, and it is the only remaining unit that the student must pass in order to complete their course.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Dr Cecilia Sun
- Unit rules
- any level 2 unit (this unit does not require any technical music literacy)
- Contact hours
- lectures: 10 x 2 hours
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Books and other material wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary reading', 'Recommended reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available via the Booktopia Textbook Finder, which has the functionality to search by course code, course, ISBN and title, and may also be posted or available at the appropriate school's administrative offices. Where texts are listed in the unit description above, an asterisk (*) indicates that the book is available in paperback.


What is a Learning Commons?
A learning commons, formerly known as the school library, is a shared learning space that is both physical and virtual. Like libraries, the learning commons supports a student-centered approach by providing quality resources and flexible space for instructions, social and collaborative learning, production and presentation.
Research shows that students who have access to quality school library services, whatever name it goes by, are more likely to exhibit advanced student achievement and literacy development. Senator Buchanan Elementary is committed to providing this for our students.
Destiny is our learning commons catalogue system.
If you are looking to see if we have books by your favorite author or a certain title, please click here.
Select the Catalog tab on the top left-hand side.
Please remember SPELLING is important! If you aren't getting any results, perhaps check what you have typed.
Senator Buchanan school has been fortunate to welcome several authors to our school.
Here are links to their websites:
Favorite author's websites:
- Dav Pilkey , author of Captain Underpants, Ricky Ricotta's Robot, Ook & Gluk the Kung-fu Cavemen and more.
- Jeff Kinney , author of Diary of a Wimpy kid series.
- Chris Van Allsburg , author of Polar Express, Jumanji, Zathura and many more.
- Lisa Wheeler , author of Dino-soccer, Dino-hockey and much more.
- Mo Willems , author of the Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie and more.


In Information Communication Technology (ICT) students are learning about safety on the web and have come up with some rights and responsibilities for looking after their computers. At Flowerdale Primary School, we recognise the importance of creating informed ‘Digital Citizens’ who can navigate and collaborate online in a safe and respecfull way.
Our technology rich classrooms have access to a range of different technologies including Interactive Televisions, iPads, netbooks and digital cameras. At Years 3-6, students have access to 1:1 Netbook Program which enriches the learning and development of their ICT skills and understanding of how such technologies are used in the real world. For example, using word processing programs to compose writing pieces and using excel to create graphs and data charts in Mathematics or Science. Software such as Seesaw, Mathletics and Padlet, allow students to share their work with parents, collaborate across combined student and teacher groups and create online learning spaces where students can access their work from school and at home.
At years Foundation to 2, iPads are used to engage learners through a range of applications that further develop their Literacy and Numeracy skills. Applications such as Mathletics and Jolly Phonics assists students to consolidate learning in the classroom through independent practice of skills being taught. Students in the junior class also work with the netbooks and are supported by an older buddy to learn computer skills.


Social studies teachers face a number of disciplinary challenges--for instance, insufficient geographic knowledge, fewer opportunities for critical analysis amid shrinking instructional time--and, in terms of confronting discrimination and disparity, an increasingly racially segregated society. Teachers can, however, make excellent use of historical resources and modern mapping tools to empower students in their analysis of the Jim Crow era and segregation in American daily life. This article describes the use of The Negro Motorist Green Book, a guide produced from 1937 to 1963 for African-American drivers which detailed American businesses which catered to black travelers. Using the data from these books, students can create critical maps detailing both the state off American segregation and the efforts, through the 20th century, to subvert it.
Pearcy, Mark Ph.D.
"The Green Book: Race, Geography, and Critical Understanding,"
The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies: Vol. 77
, Article 4.
Available at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/the_councilor/vol77/iss2/4
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Geography Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons


یکشنبه 24 بهمن 1395
نویسنده: Ivan Baker
Expressive Arts and Design in the Early Years: Supporting young children's creativity through art, design, music, dance and imaginative play by Anni McTavish
Expressive Arts and Design in the Early Years: Supporting young children's creativity through art, design, music, dance and imaginative play Anni McTavish ebook
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Picturebooks interpreted through Vygotsky's writing on creativity 2012 the area of Creative Development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) their imagination in art and design, music, dance, role-play and expressing their Creative Development as an area of learning has been replaced by Expressive Arts. You should present at least one of each of the following: art, music/fingerplay, and on a specific topic, concept, or theme appropriate for an early childhood setting. Ideas for creative play in childcare settings. Children entering the Nursery will follow the 'Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum'. Sculpture, construction, music, singing, drama, dramatic play, movement, and dance. 'Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum' is to help young children achieve the five Expressive Arts & Design – Being creative enables children to make and imagination through art, music, dance role play and imaginative play. Meaning communicated through language and other expressive modes. Students will design and share creative arts curriculum materials with their you will present five activities to young children (age range 1 to 8 years of age). This combination plays an integral role in young children's development and The principles of the Early Years Foundation stage in preparing children for develop their movement skills in a variety of structured and creative ways. Variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play and design and technology. Task Force on Children's Learning ensure the full and appropriate integration of the arts into early childhood learning. Expressive arts and design in the EYFS arts and design is one of the four specific areas within the Early Years and using media and materials - children sing songs, make music and dance, and and Arts Partnership Surrey ran to support children to be creative thinkers.


For thousands of years, pre-humans and humans lived nomadic lives. They moved from place to place, hunting wild game and gathering plants, roots, seeds and berries. Around 7,000 B.C.E., people started settling in one place. Mesopotamia, which lies between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is now Iraq, was one of the first settlements. It started out as a small village, probably with a few families. The people built irrigation canals so they would have water for their crops. They built homes and temples. They began writing and keeping records.
Great cities grew. When people live in a city, they tend to become divided into specific groups. Some people are farmers, others are doctors or laborers. People can also be divided by how much money or education they have. These divisions can make life easier because everyone is doing his part. They can also cause conflicts and wars.
Fun Facts About City Life for Kids
- Cities must have infrastructures. An infrastructure is the underlying services and support needed by a city. It includes roads, access to clean water, waste disposal and medical care.
- People in villages began trading with other villages. The villagers became wealthy and the villages grew into cities. Today, people still trade with one another.
- Nomads had no wealth or possessions beyond the basic necessities. Once they settled down, they gathered wealth. Bandits tried to steal their wealth. Soon, cities were surrounded by great walls to keep out the bandits.
- Ancient cities grew over time. They had winding streets and confusing layouts. Modern cities are usually planned on a rectangular grid of streets.
City Life Vocabulary
- Nomad: someone who wanders from place to place without a permanent home
- Settlement: a place where people gather and live
- Irrigation: watering crops
- Canal: man-made river or stream
- Conflict: disagreement, fighting
- Infrastructure: underlying support system
- Bandit: robber
All About City Life Video for Kids
Watch this awesome Life in the City video for kids about city life vs country life:
City Life Q&A
Question: Is it better to live in a city or in the country?
Answer: Both the city and the country have potential benefits and drawbacks. Life in the city is easier to find a job and there are more choices about what type of job to do. Cities usually offer good schools, medical care and cultural activities. But, they can be crowded and expensive to live in. Crime is sometimes a problem. Living in the country is quieter and simpler. Country living usually costs less. But there are fewer jobs. It might be hard to find a good doctor or school.
Enjoyed the Easy Geography for Kids all about City Life info? Take the FREE & fun all about City Life quiz and download FREE all about City Life worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Fun City Life Facts for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 29 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-city-life/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). Fun City Life Facts for Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-city-life/
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Zion Lutheran School
Classes incorporate Zion's mission and state learning standards. Zion provides a quality, accredited education in a loving, Christian, family environment.
- Religion and Confirmation Instruction – Includes daily devotions, Wednesday Morning Chapel, Bible Study, Catechism, Memory Work, and Church History. The Seventh and Eighth Grade Religion classes include Confirmation preparation.
- Language Arts Instruction – Includes Reading, Literature, English, Handwriting, Creative Writing, Public Speaking, and Library Science.
- Science Instruction – Includes Biology, Earth Science, Physical Science, Health and Nutrition, Chemistry, and Ecology.
- Mathematics Instruction – Includes Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, and related areas. After sixth grade promotion, above average students may advance one grade level and complete Algebra One during the eighth grade year.
- Social Studies Instruction – Includes Geography, History, Citizenship, Current Events, and United States and Illinois constitutions.
- Music Instruction – Includes Choral Music and General Classroom Music Education. Choral groups enrich worship services at Zion Lutheran Church approximately once a month. Piano instruction available during the school day. Other instrumental music instruction is provided through Beecher Public Schools.
- Art Instruction – Includes drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, and other mediums of creative expression.
- Physical Education – Includes physical fitness, calisthenics, games, and team sports.
- Field Trips – Educational tours are important learning experiences. Pre-planning and Pre-study takes place as well as review and reinforcement following the trip.
- Computer Instruction – Kindergarten students receive thirty minutes of instruction each day, and first through eighth grade students receive forty minutes of instruction each day. Basic skills reinforcement, touch-typing, internet research, and the like are included in the program.


It's always fascinating to ask a jazz musician about the experience of improvising. During their spontaneous solos, these remarkable players are producing notes faster than their conscious minds can think of them, and many report their primary effort consists of staying out of their own way.
New brain-scan research, reported in the new issue of the journal NeuroImage, finds a scientific explanation for that quasi-mystical phenomenon.
Meanwhile, a separate study in that same journal examines the brains of teenagers as they listen to music and finds evidence of the strong pull adolescents feel to conform to the preferences of their peers.
For the improvisation study, researchers Aaron Berkowitz and Daniel Ansari studied the brains of 28 people as they improvised five-note melodies on a tiny keyboard. Thirteen were classically trained undergraduate pianists from the Dartmouth College music department. The other 15 were nonmusicians (though some had played instruments for up to three years in the past).
"The two groups showed significant differences in functional brain activity during improvisation," the researchers report. "Specifically, musicians deactivated the right temporoparietal junction during melodic improvisation, while nonmusicians showed no change in activity in this region."
This suggests trained musicians "are entering a different state of attentional focus than nonmusicians as soon as they engage in even the simple act of playing, and that this effect is particularly heightened during melodic improvisation," Berkowitz and Ansari write.
In other words, they effectively blocked out mental distractions, "allowing for a more goal-directed performance state that aids in creative thought."
That ability to intensely focus has a variety of obvious benefits. Indeed, this study could be used as further evidence of the value of maintaining music education in the schools.
Speaking of students, the second study used similar fMRI technology to study the conformist tendencies of adolescents. A research team led by Gregory Berns of the Emory University School of Medicine scanned the brains of 27 youngsters ranging in age from 12 to 17 as they listened to 15-second clips from relatively obscure contemporary pop songs.
During the first round, the adolescents were asked to rate each of the 60 songs on a five-point scale. In the second round, the musical excerpts were replayed, with one crucial difference: Two-thirds of the time, the song's MySpace popularity ranking was flashed onto the computer screen as the music played. Having received this information, participants were asked to rate the song a second time.
"Without popularity information displayed, participants changed their ratings on 11.6 percent of the trials," the researchers report. "With popularity shown, they changed their ratings 21.9 percent of the time."
Why would knowing other people's opinions influence their own? "fMRI results showed a strong correlation between the participants' rating and activity in the caudate nucleus, a region [of the brain] previously implicated in reward-driven actions," according to the paper. "The tendency to change one's evaluation of a song was positively correlated with activation in the anterior insula and anterior cingulate, two regions that are associated with psychological arousal and negative affective states."
The researchers' conclusion: "Our results suggest that a principal mechanism whereby popularity ratings affect consumer choice is through the anxiety generated by the mismatch between one's own preferences and the others'. This mismatch anxiety motivates people to switch their choices in the direction of the consensus."
So, if you're told your peers all like a certain band, but its music doesn't really speak to you, this creates anxiety — which can, and sometimes is, alleviated by deciding you like the group after all. Of course, we eventually outgrow this need to fit in and boldly follow our own paths. Don't we?
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PLANT, Inc. Blog
Encouraging Parent Led Education
By Mary Beach
If your parents forced you to practice your scales saying it would build “character”, they were onto something. One of the largest scientific studies into music’s effect on the brain at the University of Vermont College of Medicine found something remarkable: Musical training doesn’t just affect your musical ability ---- it provides tremendous benefits to
children’s emotional and behavioral maturation.
The study found that even those who never made it past nursery rhyme songs and do-re-mi’s likely received some major developmental benefits just from playing. The study provides even more evidence as to why providing children with high-quality music education may be one of the most effective ways to ensure their success in life. They found that that a child trained on an instrument accelerated cortical organization in attention skill, anxiety management and emotional control.
The study found increased thickness in parts of the brain responsible for executive functioning, which includes working memory, attentional control and organizational skills. It has even been shown that children who receive musical training in school also tend to be more civically active and maintain a higher grade-point average than children who don’t. In short, music actually helped kids become more well-rounded.
Unfortunately, in the current American education system, three-quarters of high school students rarely or never received extracurricular lessons in music or the arts. School systems that don’t dedicate adequate time and resources to musical training are robbing the kids of so much. Prior research proves that learning music can help children develop spatiotemporal faculties, which then aid their ability to solve complex math, improve their reading comprehension and verbal abilities.
One thing is clear: Learning music is one of the best things a person can do. Who knows — Running scales may have changed your life. And it could change the lives of future generations, too!
Mary Beach has been teaching piano for over 40 years. She has had the privilege of teaching many wonderful students from the ages of 5 to 75. She seeks to nurture in the the student a genuine love of music and help the student develop the skills & knowledge to enjoy it the rest of their lives, whether they decide to study another instrument, sing in choir or simply have a better appreciation for the music of the theater or concert hall.
PLANT, Inc. Blog is written by local parent educators and supporters of parent led education.


A global study has revealed that English teenagers are the most illiterate and the second most innumerate in the developed world. There have been calls for a change in attitude towards education to improve basic skills.
The Operation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) has found in a study that English teens “had the lowest literacy rates and the second to lowest numeracy rates” out of 23 developed nations.
Someone who is a “functioning illiterate” has a basic education, but still falls short of a minimum standard of literacy or who’s reading and writing skills are considered insufficient for everyday needs.
The study also discovered that: “university teaching gives limited attention to low levels of literacy and numeracy”. Graduates with low basic skills gain modest returns from their qualifications and will often not be able to repay their student debts. The OECD described students with low literacy and numeracy levels as “undermining the currency” of UK degrees.
[su_spoiler title=”The cause of illiteracy may lie in the failings of UK schools” style=”simple” icon=”chevron-circle” anchor=”Comment”]It seems likely the root cause of illiteracy amongst young people in the UK lies in our education system. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen whether the current educational reforms will (as the report suggests) improve conditions.
Requiring pupils to remain in full-time education until the age of 18 could indeed help those 16-19 year olds who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks, but I’m not sure how the changes being made to GCSEs, supposedly making them ‘harder’, are going to achieve the same. To give one example: under the new system, pupils will no longer have the option of sitting a ‘higher’ or ‘foundation’ tier paper for the majority of subjects, English included. Instead, everyone will sit the same exam. In an ideal world, this would be the best way of judging their abilities, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.
How can pupils be expected to perform to their highest possible standard, to effectively demonstrate the best of their abilities, when they’re having to do so under conditions designed to accommodate an entire generation? There’s no ‘one size fits all’ model for education; the report clearly shows this, and it’s time the government got their heads around it too.
Meg Bradbury, News writer[/su_spoiler]
The National Literacy Trust state that “less that one per cent of adults in England would be described as completely illiterate, although this absolute definition is not often used”. The latest statistics in education show that “young people aged between 16 and 19 have been found to possess only a ‘basic’ grasp of maths and English, with nine million people of working age having low literacy or numeracy skills”.
Attempts to improve our education system are underway with the Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, and children’s author and comedian, David Walliams, last year rallying leading publishers, schools and nurseries to join forces, in an attempt to counteract these statistics.
With links between illiteracy and criminality and low levels of employment, it comes as no surprise that this new target is incredibly important. When the Education Secretary spoke of the new drive to tackle illiteracy she said: “If a child fails to learn how to read, the consequences can be nothing short of devastating, holding them back for the rest of their lives”.
Rachael Jarman, second year History student at UEA described these statistics as unexpected. She stated that: ‘I find this so surprising as it seems people from all over the world come to the UK for education’.


Recent events surrounding Confederate statues and monuments reveals a serious problem in the way people of differing political beliefs contend with controversial issues. In this manuscript, the author provides steps and resources to utilize Confederate monuments and memorials as a method of developing student political identity through historical thinking. The article demonstrates student examination of primary and secondary resources relating to the motivation for more than 1700 Confederate monuments that are constructed throughout the Southern United States. They use a mural found within the courthouse of a major city in Alabama created in the 1930’s that critics argue is veneration of the Antebellum period that emphasizes racial hierarchy and division. Learners will articulate the motivation and points of view of the people who embrace the monument, and they will use graphic art to supply African American points of view regarding the Antebellum period. Finally, students will construct a new memorial as a faux historical document that is designed to foster dialogue concerning history in the midst of deep disagreement about it. The steps of the activity are designed to provide the platform from which to develop student political identities regarding Confederate monuments and offers a better option to rhetoric that fuels much of today’s contentious conversation about controversial issues.
Nunez, James D.
"Examining the Myth of Antebellum Glory through Confederate Memorials,"
The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies: Vol. 79
, Article 5.
Available at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/the_councilor/vol79/iss2/5
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons


In Literacy Instruction
Dr. Seth Parsons
- Seth A. Parsons is an assistant professor of education and human development at George Mason University.
- He teaches in the elementary education and literacy program areas and works closely with preservice and in-service teachers in a Title I Professional Development School.
- His research interests include adaptive literacy instruction, literacy teacher education and development, literacy professional development, and student engagement.
Adaptive Teaching in Literacy
When teachers make adaptations in their teaching when teaching reading
Classrooms are Diverse
Classrooms are diverse and not all students are at same level and thinks wont always go as planned. Adaptive teaching is thinnking on the fly and making changes and adapting instruction.
The teacher makes the differance
There is no research that says which is the the best way to teach reading, but their is research that proves its the teacher that makes the difference. They should...
What were the teachers thinking?
Dr. Parsons researched not the adaptations the teachers made, but instead what were the teachers thinking and how they knew to make the adaptions.
Effective Teacher Should...
- Constanly scan the classroom
- Always ask self if students are getting it
- Get to know students and look for teachable moments
- Better relate material to students
It wants teachers to teacher from an manual/ script, but research shows that is not the best practice
Support the teachers
Trust the teachers
Thoughts on NCLB
- Nothing wrong with wanting to reach all students
- Big tests were not the problem they are good to see where students are at
- They problem was with make the big tests high stakes
- Teachers fear the tests instead of use them to inform themselves
Continuing research on adative teaching and is collaborating with Dr.'s from other places like Alaska to get a broad view in different contexts


Author Amitav Ghosh shared unknown facts about the roots of trade between India and China and the role played by the Parsi community. Sharang Bhaskaran reports
That the Parsi community was at the forefront of all major trade activities in India during the 18th and 19th centuries is a well known fact. But what many people don’t know is that Parsis, along with several Indian, European and American traders were also present in the Chinese province of Canton in its trading colonies during that period. Now rechristened as Guangzhou, the former river town of Canton was a significant hub of the opium trade in China during the 19th century. During this period, trade relations between India and China were at its peak when the East India Company produced opium in India and exported it to China in large quantities. Many American and European traders made their fortunes in the opium trade in the Canton province of China.
Article by Sharang Bhaskaran | Daily Pioneer
In a recently held exhibition organised by Parzor Foundation, a Parsi cultural organisation, many rare documents, artefacts and paintings retrieved from Guangzhou and from private collectors alike were put on display. As a part of the heritage exhibition, novelist Amitav Ghosh delivered a small lecture that gave us a glimpse into the history of the trading colony in China that was home to several Parsi traders and many Indian trading communities. Ghosh’s Ibis trilogy of novels is based in the city of Canton in the 19th century, and revolves around the opium trade taking place in the region and the subsequent trade wars between the various Chinese and European factions inhabiting the river town.
The writer, while researching for his novels, discovered that the Parsi trading community had a considerable presence in China and played an important role in the trade of opium from India to China and other parts of the world. In his lecture, he also spoke of how Europeans and Indians lived in the town of Canton in close quarters and shared an equal social status, unlike the British colonies of India where Indian commoners were considered inferior to the British and racial segregation was widespread across the subcontinent. “India under the British rule was highly segregated on the basis of race, wherein Indians and the English did not live close to each other. Even soldiers in the army were divided on the basis of colour, so much so that an Indian and British officer sharing ranks did not share their social status,” said Ghosh.
The writer also spoke on another well known fact about how the Parsis were great patrons of art and were instrumental in bringing a lot of art from the around the world to India and introducing Indians to European art even before the British. One of them was Jamshetji Jeejeebhoy, a Parsi businessman and trader who made his fortune in the opium trade in China and was an influential figure in the city of Bombay in the early 18th century. Jeejeebhoy, influenced by the many Chinese and European artists he met during his stay in China, wanted to do something to promote modern art and art education in India.
As a result, the JJ School of Arts in Bombay was born which would go on to become the foremost art school in India and introduce modern art styles in the country. “The Parsi community and their trade connections exposed them to the art and artists from around the world which in turn led to their patronage of such visual arts. The Parsis themselves were proponents of the arts and had their own artistic heritage as well,” Ghosh said. “Jamshetji Jeejeebhoy was instrumental in introducing India to western art techniques through the JJ School of Arts. This tradition of patronage was taken forward by the Tatas in the late 19th century and 20th century when they collected art from abroad and brought it to India,” the author added.


Science And Technology
The Basis of Our Science and Technology Policy
Our science and technology policies are based on giving importance to science, scientists, scientific thought, innovation, producing technology and use of technology in production, achieving industrialization through carrying the methods of production to a competitive level, and on enabling the public to move to an information society.
Emphasizing on Science and Scientists
Starting from elementary education, dominance of mind and science on education will be established, teachers and students will adopt a questioning and searching perspective.
More Resources for Scientific Researches
Development and application of R&D technologies by universities, research institutes and private sector on advanced technology will be promoted, funding for scientific research will be increased and national and international funds will be used for that purpose.
Universities will be transformed into centers producing information and technology, university-industry cooperation will be developed by supporting techno-cities and technological free zones which are important tools for advancements in science and technology, private sector will have access to R&D capacities of universities.
National Innovation System
A "National Innovation System" will be established in order to provide the transformation of scientific and technological researches into production and the social benefits through innovations and patents to be given, and within this framework, R&D studies necessary for technological innovations and renewal of technological products will be supported.
We see it necessary to activate the system of intellectual property rights for the purposes of protecting the rights of patents, trademark, industrial design and copyright laws, to set up technological transfer centers for supplying the transfer of R&D results to industry and production, and to have the private sector investments on R&D and technology productions supported.
Turkey as an Attraction Center for Science
Setting out from the fact that trained manpower is one of the most important factors on economic and social development, we see building all infrastructures necessary to make Turkey an attracting center for scientific community. In this sense, research manpower will be developed in quality and quantity and technical, administrative, financial opportunities for developing advanced research and development studies will be improved in order to make it attractive for Turkish and foreign researchers who are specialists in their fields of study.
Supporting Strategic Technologies
Priority and importance will be given to R&D activities in strategic technologies of our age such as information producing technologies, biotechnology and gene technologies, nanotechnology, mechatronics, production process and technologies, material technologies, energy technologies and design technologies, and to transforming R&D results to production.
National Information System
Infrastructure for national information network for accessing to information, which is the cornerstone of the information society, from work, school and homes, will be built, and our country will be made one of the leading countries in software field by encouraging computer hardware and software activities.
Scientific and Technological Cooperation
Scientific and technological cooperation on international level, particularly with Turkic Republics, will be developed by common scientific and technological research and development centers.
We see having a relationship and developing cooperation with countries that have the capability to produce advanced technology important for following universal developments on science and technology and technology transfer.
Supporting Researches on Social Sciences
We will support research activities on economy, law, history, archeology, sociology and theology and have a better understanding of the age and social developments by determining the values and treasures of our nation, and the opportunity, threat and dangers of the past, present and future of our country.


The increasing number of students who enroll the Visual Art Department from year to year opens opportunities for increased art activities in Fine Arts. This increasing lead to activity as the core provision for prospective art teachers. Unfortunately, only few students who take advantage of this valuable moment as an effort to explore their future career. This phenomenon is important to be follow up as a consideration, due to opportunities for future students to run the business, becoming an artist, or even a curator. With such open chance career span they may live, basically when they are study in S1 Visual Arts, all of their knowledge and skills must be obtained from lecturers theoretical and practical. Lecturers are required to develop a suitable learning model, approach, instructional media, learning strategies, as well as reliable visual arts learning techniques. This theoretical paper will explore and summary several findings done by the expert and researcher (lecturers) about preparing instructional technology of its development for prospective art teachers in junior high school, high school/vocational school level. Finally, the paper describe how can students and lecturer gain beneficial from art activities carry on each semester.
instructional technology, prospective teachers, art education


Two South Dakota educators and a Minneapolis-based graphic-designer have teamed up to tell the story of the great Dakota artist Oscar Howe, with the new children’s book Native American Master Artist: Oscar Howe.
Lois Sayre, a retired teacher, and Lisa Vande Vegte Dresch, an art teacher at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, met while working in the arts at the Washington Pavilion. They first discussed the idea of writing a children’s book about the life and art of Oscar Howe in 2006, after they witnessed the impact an exhibit of his art had on school children.
There were detours and stalls along the way, but after nearly a decade, the book — the first children’s book about Oscar Howe — has come to fruition, with reproductions of original Howe paintings and graphics by Minneapolis graphic designer Marnie Teppen. The book tells the story of the artist from his upbringing on the Crow Creek reservation — where, though poor, he was taught the rich traditions and stories of his Dakota heritage that became lifelong themes in his art — through his art education at the Santa Fe Indian School, his WWII service, family life, and his long and distinguished career as an artist and educator.
Sidebars throughout the book give children history lessons on historic Native American figures and on words in the Lakota language. One of the goals of the project was to create a resource for the state-required 4th grade South Dakota History curriculum. Since the book was printed, the authors have personally donated over 200 books to South Dakota public schools.
“As a painter myself, I am amazed at [Howe’s] ability to take the simple tools of a brush and some water-based paint and make images so crisp and vibrant. Even though a painting is essentially a still, flat surface, Oscar could somehow make it look like the subject was moving. There is an excitement to Oscar's paintings,” says co-author Lisa Vande Vegte Dresch. “Another thing I value is his character. He had many situations happen to him in his life that would have made many people give up. But he didn’t.”
“My first impression of an Oscar Howe painting is — wow!” says Lois Sayre “Such rhythm, the viewer can hear and feel the rhythm and chanting; such bold, exciting colors; such movement — dancing feet, fringe and hair flowing; such story-telling… I marvel at Oscar's blending of two cultures.”
Native American Master Artist: Oscar Howe is available now on Amazon.
If you are interested in sponsoring a school, so that kids can experience Native American Master Artist: Oscar Howe, please call (605) 338-4898.


This is the third of four readers for BJUP's 2nd grade reading program. The readers are full-color, with text in paragraph form. Most pages have multiple paragraphs.
The 2nd grade reading curriculum has been totally reworked with four smaller readers now. The readers contain a variety of interesting selections from different genre with the goal of developing reading critical thinking skills, phonics instruction, oral reading, and literary techniques that reflect newer standards.
The selections have been logically sequenced for readability and skill progression to keep students moving forward. Titles included are: “All God’s Creatures,” “Hearts and Hands,” “Memories to Keep,” and “Precious Treasures.”
Reading 2c Student Text (Reader) Memories to Keep
Format: Paperback Book
Topic:Reading - Reading Skills and Comprehension


After sliding Reading Rods? into the Reading Mentor?, your students will immediately hear the letters, words or sentences they've built. They'll also read them on the screen. Arrow keys let students easily toggle to the word or letter they need to practice. They can repeat the process as many times as they like, which helps train their ears and improve segmental pronunciation.
Easy to operate, the captivating, electronic nature of the Reading Mentor? is irresistible to students with a wide range of ages and abilities. It's great for regular classes, English Language Learners, special needs and speech/language pathology.
The benefits speak for themselves.
-Engages students of all learning styles with a multisensory approach that allows them to build, hear and see words
-Provides an aural model to instantly reinforce and improve oral comprehension and pronunciation
-integrates phonemic awareness, phonics, listening, speaking and other key reading skills
-Offers differentiated instruction in reading to individuals and small groups
-Perfect for reading intervention programs or centers in guided reading classrooms
-Aligns with the Put Reading First research report in the areas of phonemic awareness and explicit phonics instruction
-Frees you up to concentrate on other classroom activities
-So portable, it can easily provide instruction wherever it's needed
-More than 23,000 word dictionary
-4 headphone jacks (headphones not included)
-Volume and contrast controls
-3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
-Operates with power adapter (included) or battery (4 C, not included)
-Measures 11" x 8.5" x 5"


The Year 7 Catch-Up funding provides additional funding to schools to support year 7 pupils who did not achieve the expected standard in reading or maths at the end of key stage 2.
Greenacre as a school sets challenging targets for all its pupils including for those pupils at the end of key stage 2. The school supports all pupils to achieve those targets through highly personalised timetables, interventions and tailored support plans accessed by all children who attend the school, in order to make as much progression as is possible across all subject areas.
The school received £13,500 in 2018/19 which was used to support Year 7 pupils.
The majority of this fund is used to support intensive intervention programmes, focusing on developing Literacy and Numeracy skills in small groups. It also funds some of the programmes utilised for interventions, these include:
- Big Maths
- Books Beyond Words
- Active Numeracy Intervention
- Targeted Reading Intervention
- Holistic Baking Interventions
- Teacher Intervention – training course (specifically phonics) for Year 6 teacher
- SEMH intervention – identified through EWB measures.
Associated cost: £9,750
The other key area of spend was the funding of a transition week for pupils moving from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3, this included resident artists and an Around the World in 80 Days themed workshop.
Associated cost: £3,750
The impact of interventions are tracked through the three assessment windows throughout the year. Intervention groups are reviewed termly and changed accordingly.
The transition week enables pupils to settle into learning when they start in year 7, which has traditionally been a challenge for a number of our pupils. This readiness to learn can have the biggest impact in terms of progression in Literacy and Numeracy.
The quality of teaching and learning at the end of KS2 will be enhanced (Literacy and Numeracy training).
At the end of Year 6 pupils progress is measured and new targets set for the next academic year/Key Stage. This cohort of pupils will have access to the interventions listed above and their progress in Literacy and Numeracy will be measured each term, with additional interventions added if progress needs to be accelerated.
Evidence towards Emotional Well-Being (EWB) measures will be assessed at the same key points as Literacy and Numeracy throughout the academic year with pupils accessing tailored interventions from our SEMH team.


Designing a curriculum to teach secondary schools conducting to increase their musicianship and ensemble
This study examines the communication and musicianship developed through conducting between teachers and students in secondary school music ensembles. As conducting is regarded as a primary method of communication and musical leadership in music ensembles, it is essential for playing musicians to understand conducting gestures and techniques. In secondary school environments, it would seem important to teach students conducting gestures so they are better able to interpret, respond to and understand these gestures with the aim of improving their learning of the music and develop greater artistic awareness. Therefore, the developed curriculum is significant as it helps to address the documented gap in developing student musicianship in school-based ensembles. The curriculum was created using a design-based methodology commonly implemented in learning technology studies and adapted for music education. Knowledge, skills and understandings significant to learning conducting and increasing musicianship were identified and formed the basis of a draft document. A panel of experts including music professionals, conservatorium staff, curriculum teachers and ensemble directors from Australia and Canada were invited to take part in the development of the curriculum. The document was subsequently re-written and re-designed with the feedback from the panel that differed significantly in their view of teaching secondary school students about conducting. The completed curriculum will be implemented in a NSW secondary school in early 2011 and assessed for its effectiveness and value. The findings will be important in furthering our understanding of student learning and engagement in school-based music ensembles and the effectiveness of teaching musicianship through conducting.


“The person that hath no music in him, nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treason, stratagems and spoils.”
— William Shakespeare
As you walk through the beautiful grounds of Chrysalis School you can hear the sound of music most afternoons. It might be the sounds of singing voices permeating through the trees, the earthy vibrations of beating drums, the entwining melodies of the violin ensemble or the jazzy improvisations of the instrumental ensemble.
Music education at Chrysalis has been developed over many years as a specialist programme that lives deeply within the pedagogy of the whole school and its links to the wider community. Music as a universal phenomenon, a creative subject, a means of expression and an art form has profound interconnections with simple and complex mathematics, geometry, science and creative arts. Simultaneously, it facilitates self-expression, self-discipline, co-ordination and emotional, social and personal growth. Music nurtures and supports the development of thinking, feeling and will as central to Steiner education. The far reaching benefits of music for brain development and indeed educating the whole child, have been extensively researched and in modern times is understood as fundamental to the education of children.
Class Music Program
Music begins in Kindy with singing and body percussion integrated with story, activities, nature and play. The voice is the human instrument utilising the immediacy of body and breath. Singing continues and develops throughout all the classes all the way to the end of Class Eight.
In Class One and Two, recorders are introduced and continue on through the later years. Recorder presents as an extension of fingers and breath.
In Class Three, the violin comes into play as an extension of the physical body crossing the midline with the bow and developing the heart forces and aural recognition.
In Class Four, the majority of children continue violin with some shifting on to viola and cello. Some children at this stage work alternatively on the Marimba. Ensembles in Class Three and Four involve whole class groups.
Specialised Ensemble Program & Instrumental Lessons
The specialised ensemble program starts in Class Five and instrumental tuition choices open up with piano, non-kit percussion and ukulele being offered as instrumental tuition options.
In Class Six, guitar is offered and in Classes Seven and Eight drums, bass and vocal are further added to the options.
Instrumental lessons are re-integrated in an extensive ensemble program where students play their tuition instrument together and work on significant collaborations between ensembles. They are also integrated through festivals, performances and other classroom music.
Children are taught with care and dedication that goes beyond their instrumental lessons into the far reaching interactions of children and music teachers through ensemble sessions and into their general school lives. It also involves significant interaction between students, music teachers and the broader teaching and music community within the school and beyond.


Phonics is a method for teaching, reading writing of the English language by developing learners phonemic awareness – the ability to hear, identify and manipulate phonemes
It is basically the study of sound or a method of teaching, reading with the help of phonics knowledge they start decoding words that they see or hear. Research also shows when phonics is taught in the structured way starting with the easiest sound progressing through to the most complex sound, it is the most effective way of teaching young children to read. It also helps yours child to know which letter to use as he writes words
Approximately 2 years of phonics instruction is sufficient for most students. If phonics teaching begins in kindergarten it should be completed by the end of the first grade .
It is fun way if English language with innovative and creative academic ways of technique learning.


By Teachers, For Teachers
How many times have you said, "Take out your notebooks, it's time to take notes!" and all you hear is a collective "ugh" from your students?
You are not alone - many classrooms across the globe are hearing the same collective "ugh" from their classrooms. Note-taking can be a drag, but rest assured, we all know that it is one of the best ways to ensure good grades. But how do we get our students to warm up to the idea that it helps us understand what we read?
Easy: Provide them with note-taking techniques and give them the choice of how they record their information.
If traditional note-taking has not been successful in your classroom, then try a few of these techniques with your students and help them find which method suites their learning style the best.
The Mapping Method
Concept maps, mind maps, webs, whatever you chose to call it, this method of note-taking is the best for students who are visual learners. Students write one word or idea in the middle of the paper and draws lines to connect other words or ideas that relate to one another. For example, a student would write the topic "qualities of a friend" in the center of the paper. Then branch out from that topic and write a few qualities; in my class, pretty, nice, funny, trusting, common interests, etc.
The T-Chart is used to examine or make a comparison to a person, an event, object, or a situation. If students were taking notes on Rosa Parks they could compare what life was like in 1956 to life now. This graphic organizer will help students easily examine two facets of a topic in an efficient way.
The Venn diagram is another graphic organizer. This technique has two interlocking circles which help students visually make comparisons to a person, object, event or topic. This way of note-taking shows students three things: Information about one specific topic on the left, and on the right, as well as what each topic has in common in the center interlocking circle. Students who use this note-taking technique have the opportunity to see what two topics have in common, versus using the T-chart, which only compares two.
The Frayer Model
The Frayer Model is a note-taking technique that uses a graphic organizer to build vocabulary. This four-square model prompts students to define a term, describe its characteristics, provide examples, and non-examples. For example, the topic is "mammals." The definition is a warm-blooded vertebrate animal. The characteristics would be, covered by hair and gives birth to young. Examples would be man and monkey, non- examples would be snake and duck.
Boxes and Bullets
Boxes and bullets is a note-taking technique that many children are very familiar with. This where students write down the main topic or idea in the box, and then provide a variety of supporting details under each bullet. For example, students would write the main idea in the box, then under each bullet would write a supporting detail.
The Outlining Method
This method is pretty much like the traditional method. It requires students to be sharp and very organized. For the outlining method to be effective students must use dashes or indents when writing important key facts they want to remember. There is no need for numbers or letters, all students have to do is skip lines and indent when taking notes.
- - warm blooded animal
- two kinds
The Charting Method
The charting method for note-taking is when you format your paper by drawing columns and labeling headings. As students read or listen they record the information into the appropriate category (heading). This method is great for students when they have to study for a test. All of the information is presented and organized for them. Here is an example of what the charting method looks like.
Person Event Significance
Rosa Parks Montgomery bus boycott Arrested for not leaving bus
Do you have any note-taking techniques you would like to share? Please share with us in the comment section below!
Janelle Cox is an education writer who draws on her 15 years of professional experience in the education system. Janelle holds a master's of science in education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com, where she provides educational information and lesson plans for teachers around the globe.


Pediatric occupational therapy
Also known as:
Occupational therapy, pediatric
Occupational therapy helps people live as independently as possible. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who, because of illness, injury, developmental delays or psychological problems, need help learning skills that can allow them to live more independent, productive and satisfying lives. Occupational therapists use work, self-care and recreational activities to increase independent function.
The pediatric occupational therapists at Providence Children's Development Institute specialize in motor skill development, sensory integration, visual motor integration/perception, and attention and behavioral organization. These abilities will increase your child's ability to function more independently in everyday activities, such as play, self-care, handwriting and feeding.