Eric Ortiz of the Sacramento Bee wrote an article today (http://www.sacbee.com/music/story/2419848.html) about what the next decade might hold for classical music. He wrote, “The winds of economic and social change are leaving an indelible stamp on classical music. The art form, including opera, is becoming more international in focus. And orchestras and presenters are growing more attentive to what audiences want, as opposed to deciding what they want to give an audience.” Ortiz identified four trends in classical music that he thinks will shape the future:
1) the increasing influence of China,
2) the use of orchestras in video game music may introduce new audiences to symphonic music,
3) the increasing influence of video presentations of opera, and
4) the rediscovery of music from Latin America.
I’m not sure about numbers two and three because of my unfamiliarity with those two fields, but I think Ortiz is right on with is first and fourth predictions. Piano superstar Lang-Lang is credited with already inspiring more than 25 million young Chinese to take up the piano. As many studies have shown, playing an instrument as a child is one of the top predictors of arts participation and enjoyment in adulthood. That many young people playing piano will make an impact in ways we can’t even imagine. Recent data suggests that after years of decline, American adults are now playing musical instruments in larger numbers. While there are some predictions of the future marginalization of classical music, these trends suggest doomsday predictions may be premature.
Latin America has produced several leading composers in the mid-twentieth century including Heitor Villa-Lobos, Alberto Ginastera and Carlos Chávez. Today Argentinean-born composer Osvaldo Golijov is one of the hottest names in classical music. The San Antonio Symphony is playing a work of his on May 21 and 22 with soprano superstar Dawn Upshaw, one of Golijov’s greatest advocates.
In much of Latin American music, tonal melody and harmony are more prevalent than in the atonal-influenced music of Europe. This more accessible harmonic language, coupled with exciting rhythms of Latin American music, has created a compelling style that is gaining a strong following in the United States. Another important trend from Latin America is El Sistema–the amazing music education system from Venezuela. Sir Simon Rattle, the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, has called El Sistema the most important development in classical music. Will El Sistema ever transform America like it is transforming Venezuela?
One subject that Eric Ortiz did not discuss is the titanic changes in electronic distribution of music. The CD is dying and downloading is now King. A huge new on-line audience is consuming classical music in ways that avoid the traditional distribution channels. Will this new audience ever develop an appreciation of live symphonic music? Or will the “cocooning” of America continue until live public concerts of any style become as rare as public symphony concerts were in the 18th century?
Facebook: San Antonio Symphony
For more blogs by Jack Fishman visit: www.sasymphony.org/blog


March 20, 2012 > History on display at Sunol Glen
History on display at Sunol Glen
By Alyson Whitaker
Photos By Melody Mayer
As the sun began to drop behind the mountains on March 8, normally playful and active second and third grade students of Sunol Glen School transformed into "statues" and took their place on the school playground. Wrapping up their month-long Social Studies unit on biographies, students were prepared to present their very own "Wax Museum."
The theme for this year's event was "Famous People." While some students chose well-known names from current pop-culture or of historical importance, others chose lesser-known individuals, famous in their own right. Individuals included politicians, artists, actors, sports heroes, scientists, and more - everyone from Cleopatra to Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi, Dr. Seuss, President Barack Obama, snowboard phenomenon Shaun White, and even current teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber! Third grader Chace Koth chose to do his biography project on Phineas Gage, who survived a gunshot wound to the head in the early 1800's. His recovery and personality transformation following the injury changed the way scientists looked at and understood brain function.
Each student had to write a persuasive letter to their teacher about the individual they wanted to study. Then, they spent time researching the person, combing internet resources, books, and magazines. Students completed a poster about their individual, showcasing the highlights of their subject's life. They tied their research together by writing a paragraph detailing birth date and location, how or why the person was famous, five descriptive words about the individual, and an interesting and unique fact. Each student memorized their paragraph, and came up with an appropriate costume showcasing their biographical figure.
Multi-faceted learning helps students develop skills that will serve them well through their lives, not just through their elementary education. In addition to the core competencies of reading and writing, students built public speaking skills as they recited their speeches for dozens of parents, schoolmates, and teachers.
The Wax Museum has gained popularity through the years, and is well attended by parents and community members.
Heather Henderson, Melody Mayer, and Jamie Mangiardi are teachers of the 2/3 multi-age classrooms at Sunol Glen School. They assisted their students through the process and were extremely pleased with the effort and enthusiasm that went into the event. "Students really got into it, and took the assignment seriously. It was great to see them get excited about the impact these individuals have had on society," said teacher Melody Mayer.
Principal/Superintendent Molly Barnes applauds the efforts of both the students and their teachers. "I was delighted to see the vast array of individuals represented, and to see the students so eager to showcase what they've learned!"
Sunol Glen School is a public one-school district located between Fremont and Pleasanton, in the small town of Sunol. The school is currently accepting inter-district transfers from neighboring districts, and openings are available in most classes, grades K-8. To request an enrollment application or to schedule a tour of the school, please contact the school office at (925) 862-2026.


This book introduces music education majors to basic instrumental pedagogy for the instruments and ensembles most commonly found in the elementary and secondary curricula. This text focuses on the core competencies required for teacher certification in instrumental music. The first section of the book focuses on essential issues for a successful instrumental program: objectives, assessment and evaluation, motivation, administrative tasks, and recruiting and scheduling (including block scheduling). The second section devotes a chapter to each wind instrument plus percussion and strings, and includes troubleshooting checklists for each instrument. The third section focuses on rehearsal techniques from the first day through high school.
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Rent Teaching of Instrumental Music 4th edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Richard Colwell. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Taylor & Francis Books Ltd.
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The following are excerpts from a recent article in The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (IA) about progress made in closing the achievement gap in a local school district. Cedar Falls School District noted that there is an achievement gap and with No Child Left Behind they are focusing on closing the gap even more.
"Students in the Cedar Falls School District scored well on standardized tests taken last fall, according to data the School Board reviewed Monday.
"Students showed a slight increase in proficiency in reading, math and science over the previous year's scores. All together, 90 percent of students in fourth, eighth and 11th grades were proficient in reading, math and science ."
" New federal requirements on sorting testing data by demographic groups have revealed notable differences among groups.
"For example, students from low-income families were less likely to score well on the tests. Some 71 percent of fourth-graders on free or reduced-priced lunches were proficient in reading, compared to 87 percent of other students.
"Before you said, Oh, yeah, everyone's doing fine. Now, they're looking specifically at what are the skills," said Clark Goltz, director of elementary education.
"Another disparity exists with students in special education. Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, districts are responsible for bringing special-needs students up to proficiency in core subject areas . Dan Conrad, director of secondary education, said educators have been heartened by modest gains in the scores."
"Special needs is, of course, the area that we're most concerned about, he said. The trend in the past has been that the gap (in scores) gets larger (through school), and we're starting to address that ."
"Goltz said the district can be proud of its progress. He noted Cedar Falls students are averaging 1.4 years of academic growth in one year's time. It indicates there is growth, he said. You will see some dips, but you have to look at it over time.
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“What I Cannot Create, I Do Not Understand”
That’s what was on Nobel-Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman’s blackboard when he died:
I found this image in an article at Scientific American titled Hunters of Myths: Why Our Brains Love Origins.
The entire article is somewhat interesting, but here’s what I think is the really important and useful part to teachers, and the paragraph that accompanied the blackboard photo:
…when we explain something to someone, we understand it better ourselves. It’s called the self-explanation effect and has been demonstrated numerous times in the real world. For instance, students who explain textbook material perform better on tests of that material than those who study it twice. Students who are trained in self-explanation perform better on math problem-solving tests—and are better able to learn new mathematical concepts. And how’s this for a story: when Nobel-Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman passed away in 1988, after a struggle with cancer, these words graced his blackboard: “What I cannot create, I do not understand.” His final injunction to his students and the world.
I think this paragraph reinforces the importance of creating opportunities for our students to teach their classmates, as I’ve previously described (see Teaching Students To Teach (& What School Reformers Are Missing) ).
Of course, students could “explain something” to the teacher, or in a paper that would just be seen by a teacher. But I think that lack of an authentic audience reduces its value and effectiveness, not to mention all the real-world skills that having to actually teach develops (refining storytelling techniques, picking up on “cues” from others, putting themselves in the “shoes” of a teacher).
What has been your experience of having students teach others?


YOUNGSTERS will be number-crunching in schools across Hampshire this week as part of a national drive to improve numeracy skills.
Maths Week is an initiative aimed at getting youngsters engaged in maths and numeracy with the hope of continuing to learn the skills as they go through school and later life.
Pupils at Springhill Primary School in Southampton will be throwing themselves into the initiative by taking part in a whole week of maths-based activities that have been organised by staff.
Everything from PE to art lessons are being themed around maths and numeracy as part of the dedicated maths week.
Youngsters were even encouraged to wear odd socks to school to illustrate learning ‘odd and even’ numbers.
It comes as Hampshire MP Caroline Dinenage launches a new All-Party Parliamentary Group for Maths and Numeracy which was set up in light of last year’s OECD figures, which showed that 8.5 million adults in England and Wales have numeracy skills weaker than the average ten-year-old.
The aim of the group is to raise awareness about the importance of basic maths skills and to inform policy on improving adult numeracy and the future teaching of maths in schools.
The group will be launched by Education Minister Liz Truss.
Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage said: “Not only are basic maths skills essential to our daily lives, they are also essential to Britain’s economic prosperity.
"If the UK is to be successful in the global race, it is essential that we take action to tackle this problem and raise the mathematical ability of people of all ages.”
Liz Truss said: “Maths is a vital subject for our children to master and for our country’s prosperity – maths qualifications command the highest earnings premium and are the best protection against unemployment.
"We have instigated a top-to-bottom overhaul of the subject so that all the way from the start of primary school through to 18 our young people have the best chance to succeed in maths.”


Wednesday, December 16, 2015
The Every Student Succeeds Act, signed into law last Thursday, includes the arts alongside math and language arts in its definition of a "well-rounded education." That ensures that arts education programs and teachers are eligible to receive federal funds through provisions such as Title I, which supports disadvantaged students, and Title II, which supports teachers.
Americans for the Arts isn't the only organization involved in arts education advocacy that's breathing a huge sigh of relief. In an article by Education Week published yesterday, Patricia Franklin, president of the National Art Education Association, said having the arts included in that definition is a "win." "It's important that language including the arts was not only maintained, but was specified in some cases. It's not marginalized as much."
The arts also make appearances in other parts of ESSA. The new law offers funding specifically for integrating arts into STEM, and also includes a $20 million grant program for arts education, known as the Assistance for Arts Education grant program, which replaces a similar program from the No Child Left Behind Act. The Every Student Succeeds Act also gives states "more flexibility in how they allocate resources to low-performing schools and set accountability measures than before, which means arts education advocates will now be turning to states to ensure that federal funds actually make their way to eligible arts programs."
Our own vice president of government affairs and arts education, Narric Rome, was quoted in the article, saying "everyone understands the power that a definition had for the arts in No Child Left Behind. It allowed recognition for the arts in all the other titles ...Having a defined set of core subjects meant the focus shouldn't be just on reading and math because they have tests."
Read Narric Rome and Kate McClanahan's ARTSBlog post from last week here.


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Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease is a genetic or inherited condition that involves the central nervous system, specifically the spinal cord and brain. It is part of a set of inherited disorders, called leukodystrophies, in which the myelin, or the protective covering of the brain and spinal nerves, degrades. When the myelin degrades and does not form again, it causes individuals to have intellectual impairment and a delayed development in motor skills. In most cases, the motor skills, such as walking and coordination, are affected more severely than intellectual function, such as memory and language. It typically affects males more than females, and the symptoms usually begin when the individual is very young.
Scientists divide Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease into two general types: classic and connatal. Classic Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease is considered more common, and it usually begins when the individual is very young. People affected by this type of the disease generally have muscle weakness, involuntary eye movements, and delayed motor skill development, such as walking or crawling. As the child ages, the involuntary eye movements may stop, but the individual will usually experience stiff muscles, poor balance, and jerking muscles. Although connatal Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease is less common, it is more severe and includes such symptoms as breathing difficulties, talking, eating, deformities of the joints, and seizures.
Generally, the prognosis for people with the most severe symptoms of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease is quite poor. In these severe cases, the individual gradually deteriorates until she reaches death. In the alternative, if a person has mild symptoms, she may have an average or even a long life span and be able to live a normal lifestyle. A large number of people with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher have mild symptoms and can live full lives.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. Any treatment that is provided is done so merely to treat the symptoms. For example, an individual may be given supportive braces for aching joints or jerking muscles. In addition, she may be prescribed medication that is often used to treat movement disorders.
Research is underway to learn more about Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. Scientists are trying to understand the disease and find methods to prevent and treat people affected by it. The ultimate goal for many scientists is to discover a way to cure people currently affected with the disease. There are studies underway and, in many research hospitals, researchers are looking for affected individuals who would like to participate in clinical studies.
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Learn to Read First Grade Level 2 is designed to help kids learn the building blocks of reading to help them become confident readers.
- Ending consonant blends
- er, -es, -ly, -ed, -ing
Designed in conjunction with leading educators, award-winning authors, teachers and parents, the new Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read gives children the fundamentals to become confident readers. The instructional approach and techniques used in this program are based on research and address each stage of the child 's reading development.
Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read systematically builds from introducing letters to sounds, then to words and sentences, incorporating more complex sounds and blends with each step.
Our program is:
- Developed using research on phonics, phonemic awareness and oral language, alphabetic knowledge and print awareness.
- Based on our learn-practice-read approach and systematic phonics instruction and now with multisensory materials.
- Built on the premise of a learning arc. Children learn to read at different stages of their development. As a result, the Learn to Read program is broken up into an educational arc that addresses each stage of the child 's reading development
- Developed in conjunction with leading educators, renowned children 's authors, and parents.
Each lesson is designed to take about 20 minutes a day.
Why Our Experts Love It
You just can't get any better then Hooked on Phonics!
These learn to read books are designed to help your child pronounce their letters and build their language and reading skills.
These are truly amazing learning books to start your child off on the right step for success!
Reading can be hard but these books are designed to make reading fun and easy!
Grab some phonics books to start the school year off on a great start! '


ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, videos, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you.
Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals.
Teacher Resources by Grade
|1st - 2nd||3rd - 4th|
|5th - 6th||7th - 8th|
|9th - 10th||11th - 12th|
Authentic Writing Experiences and Math Problem-Solving Using Shopping Lists
|Grades||K – 2|
|Lesson Plan Type||Standard Lesson|
|Estimated Time||Three 50-minute sessions|
Grand Island, Nebraska
What could be a better purpose for writing than an opportunity to create your own shopping list and use it to buy your favorite treats? This is problem solving at its best! Students use their problem-solving skills to stay within their budget as they choose items they plan to buy and create their personal shopping lists. If their lists don’t stay within budget guidelines, students are highly motivated to revise and edit. Once their lists work, students can actually go to the class store and buy their treats. This activity is a great way to integrate writing with math problem-solving.
Books With a Money Theme: This sheet includes a list of children's books that feature a money theme.
In her book Radical Reflections, Mem Fox boldly states that "we're currently wasting a lot of time by giving unreal writing tasks in our classrooms....You and I don't engage in meaningless writing exercises in real life-we're far too busy doing the real thing" (4). We need to challenge our young students to do real writing for a real purpose-real writing, like creating their own shopping lists, for a real purpose, like a chance to go to the store and buy favorite treats. If we want our students to be motivated to use their emerging writing skills, we have to make writing purposeful, challenging, and real-to-life. That is the purpose of this activity.
Mem Fox. 1993. Radical Reflections: Passionate Opinions on Teaching, Learning, and Living. Harcourt Brace & Company.
Oglan, Gerald. "Grocery Lists, Shopping, and a Child's Writing and Spelling Development." Talking Points 12.2 (April/May 2001): 2-6.


An introductory course for the music major interested in music education K-12. This course provides students with an overview of the concepts, methods and techniques used in music education. Students learn the historical, philosophical, and practical conventions, of all areas of music education, including elementary music, choir orchestra, and band. Students examine different aspects involved in teaching music in public schools, goals of various music programs, and existing curricula including sample lesson plans. Included is an introduction to the Colorado standards for music education K-12 and technology used in music education. Prerequisite to the 300-level music education methods classes.
Music Education K-12 Licensure


Make Dried Apple Rings Activity
Your child can explore the wonders of science along with creating a healthy and tasty treat! Turn a simple apple into something exciting and new with the help of your oven and the science concept of dehydration.
What You Need:
- Apple corer
- Sheet pan
- Vegetable oil
- White paper
What You Do:
- Invite your child to carefully core the apple with the apple corer. Using kitchen tools is an essential culinary skill, but does need parental observation – tools are sharp!
- Once the apple is cored, invite your child to carefully slice the apples into thin circles. She can try to cut as many slices as possible from the apple. She can also preheat the oven to 200 F to get it warmed for dehydrating the apple slices.
- Now she can coat the sheet pan with the vegetable oil and gently place the apples in a single layer, turning them over to coat both sides with the oil.
- Invite your child to sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on the slices, turning them again, and then place the pan in the oven.
- The process of dehydration has been used for years and years to preserve food so it can be eaten long after it might have gone bad. By taking the time to evaporate the moisture from the item, it resists molding or breaking down!
- Now your child can create a chart to document the changes the apple slices go through during the dehydration process. She can mark an update every 30-minutes during the duration of the process.
- Invite your child to flip the apple slices 2-hours into the dehydration process, allowing both sides of the apples to dehydrate evenly.
- After about 4 hours, invite your child to remove the apple slices from the oven and observe the changes, writing them on her chart. Now it’s time for a taste test to see how the apples taste!
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


It goes by many names. "Summer slump" and "summer brain drain" are popular. Regardless of the name, "it" refers to the learning loss students experience over summer vacation. According to research, teachers spend between four and six weeks re-teaching material that kids forget over the summer.
But there are ways to avoid the summer slump.
1. Get Out of the House
Look for outlets that keep the kids busy and their brains functioning. Check with your town's parks and recreation departments, churches, community centers, and other family-friendly organizations for day camps and week-long summer camps.
Visions of summer camps include arts and crafts, swimming and overnight adventures. But camp activities have expanded. Sports camps, music and drama camps, art camps, and science camps — just to name a few. In one summer your child can learn a soccer player's moves, a guitarist's chords and a detective's crime solving abilities.
Visit museums and zoos, many of which also offer summer camps, too. Children's and science museums provide hands-on exhibits. Zoos encourage a love of nature and animals.
Summer's the best time for a crash course in physical education. Swimming, biking, and hiking are just three examples. A playground's swings, slides and jungle gyms provide a great workout for little ones. The bonus is the opportunity for quality family time.
When the temperature soars and the air quality sinks, head indoors to your local library. From reading clubs and story hours to fun interactive presentations and activities, community libraries offer a variety of kids programs for all ages, and most are free!
2. Get Creative With Little Ones
Brainstorm ideas for teaching elementary education topics. The key? Activities so fun the kids won't know they're "at school."
Reading experts recommend that reading 20 minutes each day keeps kids reading skills progressing. Set aside time during the day for kids to find a spot on the couch or under a tree to read. Don't limit reading material to picture and chapter books. Magazines and newspapers work great, too. Gather the other neighborhood parents to start a book club, or ask your local library for book club and reading program options.
Suggest that your child keep a journal over the summer, writing about vacation and adventures. Another option to keep the penmanship pretty is to handwrite letters to relatives or friends from school.
Use activities around the house to encourage use of math skills. Give an allowance and help kids keep track of earnings. Spend some quality baking time in the kitchen — practicing fractions in the process.
Summer is all about nature, and nature is all about science! Plant a vegetable garden, hang bird feeders and houses, and go for nature walks.
A visit to your local craft store will reveal hundreds of summertime art activities. At the very least, grab a box of sidewalk chalk and start drawing!
Attend free summer community concerts. Sit down at the computer and create a "Summer Fun" playlist. Trade in the car DVD player for music.
Computers shouldn't be banned from June through August. Lots of cool websites encourage learning while kids have fun. PBS Kids is a great example. Help your child create fun posters for their rooms using clip art and fonts of different sizes and colors.
3. Get Your Teens Involved, Too
Encourage your older child to get a part-time summer job. Doing so teaches skills he'll use throughout his life — and puts some summer spending money in his wallet.
Many teens turn to malls and fast-food restaurants for summer jobs. This is fine, but look for other employment outlets. Examples include pet sitting, babysitting, being a camp counselor, and lawn maintenance.
If a part-time job isn't appealing, talk about volunteer opportunities. Community organizations from food pantries to churches to animals shelters always need volunteers. Volunteering develops a sense of self and the world around you.
4. Get Serious About Monitoring Electronics
Before summer begins, call a family meeting and set the summer ground rules for computer, cell phone, television and video game usage. Outline consequences to expect if the rules are broken.
If necessary, take advantage of your parental right to exercise control over the household electronics. Hide the power chords (shortening a computer's lifespan) and block mindless television channels.
5. Get Everyone on Board
As with any approach, the best-laid plan involves all family members. Talk about constructive family summer plans over Sunday dinner. Brainstorm ideas and encourage even the youngest members to offer suggestions.
But most importantly, set an example. Turn off the television and open a book. Take the dog for a walk and invite your child along.
The summer slump often seems inevitable. But with proper planning and a family effort, your child can stay engaged and excel in the next school year.


Hoot Extension Activities
- Grades: 6–8
About this book
About the Book
This is an enjoyable story about a middle schooler named Roy, who is the new kid in a Florida town. He is riding the school bus one morning and is intrigued by a boy he spots, who is running shoeless in the opposite direction of the bus. He must find out who the boy is, why isn't he in school and why he doesn’t have any shoes. Maybe he needs help and Roy feels he is the man for the job. There are a few obstacles to overcome first. Dana Matherson is the bully on the bus who sets his sights on Roy, and Beatrice is the Amazon female soccer player who finds Roy an easy target for her teasing. In the end, Roy outsmarts both of them and helps save some valuable residents who would be doomed without him.
Set the Stage
Use some of these items to get the students ready to read.
- Discuss the cover and title. Allow students to predict what they think the book will be about.
- The setting takes place in a southern Florida town. Find out what the students know about Florida. (Climate, animals, plant life, etc.)
After reading the book, discuss the following:
- Why do you think Beatrice allowed Roy to find out about her brother, Mullet Fingers?
- Why didn’t Beatrice choose to do more to help Mullet Fingers find a better place to live?
- What would you do if you were Roy? Why?
- What would you do if you were Beatrice? Why?
- If Roy’s father believed Roy was right in trying to save the owls, why do you think he kept the file about Mother Paula’s from him?
- Do you think Mother Paula’s All-American Pancake Houses, Inc. had the right to build its restaurant on the property? Explain your answer.
- Officer Delinko wanted to get promoted at all cost. Why do you think he didn’t arrest Mullet Fingers in the end?
In this activity students will discover some fascinating facts about Burrowing Owls.
To extend students’ enjoyment of the book, try these:
- Standing Tall Against Bullies: Dana Matherson was a bad kid through and through from the way he looked, to the language he used, to the way he bullied everyone. Roy used his brains to eventually outwit Dana, although he was suspended from the bus and could have been seriously injured. Bullies are everywhere, even if they only a bully using words. They can be serious problems at school and shouldn’t be ignored. Have the class brainstorm ways to stop a bully like Dana. Have them look at the situation from different point of views such as the student who is being bullied, the ones who hang out with the bullies so they wonÂ’t be the one who is targeted and the others who stand back and don’t get involved because they are too scared. Invite your school guidance counselor or school law officer to be a part of the discussion.
- Helping Endangered Animals: The Burrowing owls are protected in this story. Mother’s Pancakes could not be built as proposed because these owls made the land their home. Ask the students to find out about animals in your area that are endangered or protected. Have them research and put together a project such as a poster or flyer that tells about the animal and why they are protected. These can be shared and then displayed for other students to see. Some organizations have ways to “adopt” endangered animals to help protect them. Your students may choose to raise money so they can help.
- Reporting the News: Ask the students to write a newspaper article for the Gazette about the groundbreaking fiasco of MotherÂ’s Pancakes. They should be sure to answer “who” “did what” “where” “when” “why” and “how.”
- Who’s Your Hero?: In the book, Roy is the hero. There are other characters that helped him, but in the end, he used his brains to save the owls. Ask the students to think of someone they consider a hero. It could be someone they know personally or read about. Assign them to write about their hero and give reasons why they consider this person to be a hero.
Lesson developed by Kelley Raybon
Kelley Raybon has been teaching elementary school for 20 years. She is currently a curriculum resource teacher at an elementary school. She earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.


Nearly four in 10 students attending Thompson School District schools are on free and reduced lunch, a number that has been on the rise since before the recession.
"It's increased because of our economy," said Tammie Rempe, director of nutrition services for the district. "We're seeing an increase in free and reduced applications and our paid meals declining."
The annual October count, conducted for state funding purposes, identified 37.7 percent of students on the federal free and reduced lunch program as of Oct. 1, 2012. Qualification for the program is based on household size and total household income, or 130 percent of the federal poverty level.
Just as the number of children receiving the benefits is rising, the number and percentage of children living in poverty statewide continues to increase, according to a report from the Colorado Children's Campaign.
The 2013 edition of the Kids Count in Colorado! annual report on child well-being shows Colorado has had one of the fastest growing rates of child poverty in the nation since 2000.
The child poverty rate reached 18 percent in 2011, up from 17 percent in 2010 and 10 percent in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. An additional 6,000 of the state's 1.2 million children fell into poverty between 2010 and 2011.
"The child poverty level is the federal poverty level, (or) the 100 percent level," said Tara Manthey, communications director for the Colorado Children's Campaign.
The number of children in poverty in Larimer County was 14 percent in 2011, the eighth-lowest in the state of the most populous counties, according to the Colorado Children's Campaign. The state rate is 17.7, while the national poverty rate is 20 percent.
In Thompson School District, the rate of students receiving lunch benefits steadily increased since 2005, except from 2007 to 2009. The rate for those years is:
2005, 27.2 percent.
2006, 28.1 percent.
2007, 28.6 percent.
2008, 28.6 percent.
2009, 26.6 percent.
2010, 32.3 percent.
2011, 36.1 percent.
2012, 37.7 percent.
The rate varies according to school level, so that 42 percent of elementary school students are on the program, compared with 39.5 percent at the middle school level and 29.9 percent at the high school level.
"Part of the reason the numbers fluctuate, some students chose not to eat school lunch and never apply," said Paul Bankes, director of elementary education.
The district's food and nutrition services department makes the final determination if children qualify for the program, Bankes said.
In another food program, children qualify at a schoolwide level if 60 percent or more of students attending the school are on the free and reduced lunch program.
Seven elementary schools are on the universal breakfast program, including B.F. Kitchen, Garfield, Monroe, Sarah Milner, Truscott, Van Buren and Winona.
Students, whether or not they are on the program, receive breakfasts in their classrooms.
"When students are fed first thing in the morning, they are not worried about a hungry tummy," Rempe said. "They now can focus on academics."
Shelley Widhalm can be reached at 669-5050, ext. 531, or email@example.com.


Piano Course for Christians
Reviewed by Marcia Washburn
As an experienced piano teacher with a master's degree in music, I confess to some skepticism about most teach-yourself-to-play-the-piano courses. As I examined this resource I found, however, that the author makes no wild claims about learning to play proficiently in “ten easy lessons.” Using a methodical approach, she teaches students to read and play music in incremental steps. Using the traditional Middle C approach to music reading, Woods also offers additional resources for those who want to play by ear or do gospel-style playing.
Her friendly way of explaining basic musical concepts makes this a series that would be useable while studying with a trained piano teacher or under the supervision of a non-pianist parent. She employs familiar songs and hymns as the basic repertoire for the series. The cassette tapes feature the author explaining the various concepts and demonstrating the skills so the student knows how the music should sound.
The levels of the books are designed to correlate with levels in standard piano education series, so a student who has completed Level 3 in another series would be ready to begin Level 4 in this series, for example. In the early levels, it is possible to use either a piano or an electronic keyboard.
The piano is considered the best instrument to use in starting a child's music education. It provides experience in melody and harmony, treble and bass clefs, and hand-eye coordination. It provides a foundation for all the other instruments. Research exploring the link between music and intelligence reports that music training—specifically piano instruction—is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically enhancing children's abstract reasoning skills necessary for learning math and science. These children scored 34% higher on tests measuring spatial-temporal ability used in math, chess, science and engineering. (MTNA Newsletter, Spring/Summer 1997)
Although there is no substitute for a piano specialist teaching your child the instrument, this course offers an inexpensive alternative for homeschooling families who cannot afford or do not have access to a piano teacher. Since the materials are non-consumable, all of the children in the family can use the same books. And the teaching parent has the opportunity to learn along with the children. Additionally, the Christian content is a refreshing alternative for those wishing to avoid the pop-rock pieces increasingly found in many other series. Madonna Woods' Piano Course for Christians has a lot to offer homeschooling families who want to learn to play a keyboard instrument.
Information and availability subject to change without notice.


Leonard Bernstein (Aug. 25, 1918 – Oct. 14, 1990) was the first American-born leader of a major American orchestra. A globe-trotting conductor, he was a composer whose works included the Broadway classic West Side Story. Bernstein was also passionately devoted to music education and brought his ideas about that to the infant medium of television in the 1950s.
He occasionally was a controversial personality who wore his liberal politics on his sleeve.
Twenty years after his death, AARP takes a look at this figure who loomed large over the world of American culture in the 20th century.
Independent radio producer Steve Rowland has this audio appreciation.
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- freely available
Physical Activity Promotion in the Preschool Years: A Critical Period to Intervene
AbstractThe primary aim of this paper is to provide a rationale for the necessity of intervening with a physical activity intervention in the preschool years and why the daycare environment is amenable to such intervention. We also review the prevalence of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and obesity in the preschool population and the impact that these lifestyle behaviours and conditions have on the health of preschool aged children, as secondary objectives. Moreover we discuss implications for intervention and research using a “lessons learned” model based on our research team’s experience of conducting a randomized controlled trial aimed at increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviour and improving motor skill development and body composition in preschoolers. Lastly, we make conclusions based on the literature and highlight issues and directions that need to be addressed in future research in order to maximize health promotion and chronic disease prevention in the pediatric population.
Share & Cite This Article
Goldfield, G.S.; Harvey, A.; Grattan, K.; Adamo, K.B. Physical Activity Promotion in the Preschool Years: A Critical Period to Intervene. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2012, 9, 1326-1342.View more citation formats
Goldfield GS, Harvey A, Grattan K, Adamo KB. Physical Activity Promotion in the Preschool Years: A Critical Period to Intervene. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2012; 9(4):1326-1342.Chicago/Turabian Style
Goldfield, Gary S.; Harvey, Alysha; Grattan, Kimberly; Adamo, Kristi B. 2012. "Physical Activity Promotion in the Preschool Years: A Critical Period to Intervene." Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 9, no. 4: 1326-1342.
Notes: Multiple requests from the same IP address are counted as one view.


Old Faithful – Geyser in Yellowstone National Park
In Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, you’ll find impressive geysers that shoot hot water and steam high into the air. The most reliable of these is Old Faithful. Old Faithful plays – or shoots water—every 60 to 90 minutes and goes off about 17 times every day. Old Faithful isn’t the largest geyser in the park, but it’s the one that you’re most likely to see because park rangers can predict when it will go off next.
Old Faithful was first named in 1870 by the Washburn Expedition. This group of explorers and scientists were amazed by Old Faithful’s height and regularity. The geyser has slowed down just a bit since two earthquakes – the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake and the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake.
Fun Facts about Old Faithful for Kids
- The water in the geyser is 204 degrees Fahrenheit. The steam has been measured above 350 degrees. That’s as hot as your mom’s oven!
- If you go to look at Old Faithful, you’ll sit on the boardwalk, about 300 feet from the geyser.
- Right before the geyser erupts, you’ll see little jets and squirts of water. Then the geyser will begin to play. It shoots water up to 185 feet in the air. Most two-story houses are between 20 and 30 feet tall. Old Faithful is a lot taller than your house.
- If you visit Yellowstone, you’ll have plenty to do. Besides seeing the geysers, you can go hiking and fishing. You might see moose, bears or even wolves.
Old Faithful Vocabulary
- Impressive: awesome, inspiring
- Reliable: predictable
- Ranger: person who works in national parks or with wildlife
- Regularity: regular, routine, dependable
- Boardwalk: an area with paths and benches
Learn More All About Old Faithful, Geyser in Yellowstone National Park
Check out this cool video all about Old Faithful:
A video of the geyser shooting water up close.
Old Faithful Q&A
Question: How many geysers are in Yellowstone?
Answer: Yellowstone National Park has over half the hydrothermal features in the whole world. There are 300 geysers in the park. The park also has places where hot water bubbles from the earth or forms hot springs.
Question: Is Yellowstone a fun vacation place?
Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Old Faithful info? Take the FREE & fun all about Old Faithful quiz and download FREE Old Faithful worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.
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Develop a case study of 1,250-1,500 words revolving around a student’s disruptive behavior.
Develop a case study of 1,250-1,500 words revolving around a student’s disruptive behavior. 1. Apply Canter’s behavior management cycle to your hypothetical situation. 2. Ensure that each step of the cycle is clearly discernible within your case study. Early Childhood Education students should focus on Age 5/Pre-K and K to Age 8/Grade 3. Elementary Education students should focus on Grades K-8. Secondary Education students should focus on Grades 7-12. APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.
- When the FASB issues new standards, the impleme...
- Assume you are the ethics officer for a waste m...
- Corporations define themselves in terms of bein...
- Criminal Justice
- Gender Studies
- General Questions
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- Political Science
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Transforming public education for all students.
Ed Tech Innovations | Leadership Public Schools
Leadership Public Schools (LPS) is an entrepreneurial “research and development” organization seeking solutions for the most difficult issues in public education. As in most urban high schools, the majority of LPS 9th graders enter high school performing significantly below grade level in both reading and math. This stark reality demands innovative responses. LPS is leveraging the design processes of the private sector and the power of partnerships to develop solutions that are uniformly rigorous, yet flexible enough to address individual student needs.
Leadership Public Schools Blended Learning Model
Our blended learning model utilizes multiple technologies as well as non-technological strategies to provide:
1) real-time data to empower student and teacher
2) personalized, accelerated backfill of missing foundational skills in math and English
3) content presentation supports for teachers or directly for students
4) student supports for literacy, numeracy and conceptual understanding that allow under-prepared students to access core college preparatory content
5) development of critical thinking and deeper learning skills.
We are leveraging the design processes of the private sector to develop new tools and innovations created by teacher design teams through a process of “collaborative innovation.” In this process, teachers share a “spine” of common curriculum and assessment resources that can be tailored to each new class and is continually evolving, incorporating our best learnings.
LPS is leveraging the design processes of the private sector and the power of partnerships to develop solutions that are uniformly rigorous, yet flexible enough to address individual student needs. In partnership with CK-12 Foundation, we have created FlexMath, a web-based, interactive Algebra program, and the LPS CK-12 College Access Readers, a line of free, open-source, online curriculum resources. The LPS Office of Technology Innovation is piloting ExitTicket, a “clicker app” that provides students with immediate feedback on math and science problems and challenges them to achieve higher performance
The impact of our math and literacy programs and the LPS commitment to innovation can be seen in rising Academic Performance Index (API) scores and the tremendous gains our students are making in math and literacy.


How to Read Mathematics, by Shai Simonson and Fernando Gouvea. Excellent. I'll definitely be using this with my students. (There's one little problem. They say 'term', about half-way down, when they mean factor.)
Check this out, by Alison Blank: Math is not Linear. Her blog is great, too.
Cool graphic of a wave, made using Mathematica.
Detexify lets you draw online. You draw one symbol, and it'll tell you what you drew. If you'd like to start using LaTeX online, this will find symbols for you. You can also use a site called sitmo. Maria explains that here. A few people have raved about Detexify. I'm not sure why. Is it just too cool that it does character recognition? Or is it more powerful than sitmo?
Video: Bobby McFerrin on the Pentatonic scale. I looked up pentatonic on Wikipedia, and the business about hemitonic or anhemitonic was beyond me. But I liked seeing the connection with the Orff method in kid’s music education.
Off the math topic, but on the I'm-writing-a-book topic: Uncertain Principles pointed me to this post about settling in to write.


When Linda's children were young (they are in their 20s now), they did not watch much television. Occasionally, they danced along with Barney or watched "Sesame Street," but their days were filled with dolls, board games and dress up.
In the decades since, things have changed. With the proliferation of televisions and personal computers, and now smart phones and tablets, parents are warned by the American Academy of Pediatrics that children should not watch television at all until they are 2 years old. This message may seem confusing to young parents since their generation were the children who first grew up on "Sesame Street" and "The Electric Company" - not to mention the fact that as young mothers we all received an abundance of Baby Einstein videos at any baby shower.
Screen time, as it is commonly referred to, is on the rise and our youngest children are getting way too much of it. Science Daily reports that on average, preschool-aged children are exposed to four hours of screen time each weekday, with 3.6 hours of that exposure coming from home. The AAP encourages parents, teachers and caregivers to restrict total screen time for children over 2 years old to less than two hours each day.
Two hours adds up very quickly when you realize that screen time includes television shows, computer work, video games, apps played on a smart phone, etc. Certainly some "screen time" is educational, but we seem to be going overboard.
How is this screen time affecting preschool children? As early as 1979, researchers knew that the more TV preschoolers watched, the poorer they did academically and socially in the first grade. Today we believe it contributes to childhood obesity, children's poor sleep patterns and their inability to attend to a task for long periods of time. (Children who exceed the two hours per day of screen time are one and one-half to two times more likely to encounter attention problems in school.)
Even background television has an effect. If your young child is in the room and the adults are watching television, he or she will not attend to a toy or an activity for very long. Babies and very young children need to have experiences with real materials and people in order to learn about the world around them. They also need to hear lots of language spoken to them, not at them.
Some argue that being in front of a screen for too long limits the time for a child to be active. However, Annie Page at the University of Bristol found that even if children did an hour or more of vigorous exercise a day, those who also watched TV or played on their computers for at least two hours each day were still likely to suffer the side effects. The child who played a total of two hours of video games was affected whether or not they also played soccer for the rest of the day.
What advice would we give parents since completely turning off the screen might be too difficult? It is the age-old advice - everything in moderation. To reduce screen time it is best to keep TVs and computers out of a child's bedroom, eliminate background TV altogether and resist eating in front of the television. Simply being aware of this research will encourage you as an adult to limit a young child's screen time. And the next time you buy a child a present (or a baby shower gift for that matter), find something that doesn't require a screen - the less the toy does, the more the baby or child does, and the more the young child learns.
If you are looking for more suggestions, the National Research Center for Women & Families suggests the following:
Linda Krulock graduated from West Liberty State College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and early childhood. She teaches senior kindergarten at Wheeling Country Day School. Elizabeth Hofreuter-Landini is head of school at Wheeling Country Day. She is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard University Graduate School of Education.


Picture this : photography activities for early childhood learning
- Susan Entz.
- 2nd ed.
- Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin, c2009.
- Physical description
- xiii, 233 p. : ill. ; 27 cm.
Education Library (Cubberley)
|LB1043.67 .E58 2009||Unknown|
- Entz, Susan.
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 223) and index.
- Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction 1. Technology Technology Introduction 2. Standards, Assessment, and Documentation Introduction Professional Portfolio Student Portfolios Funfolios Site-Visit Report Stages of Social Play Stages of Cognitive Play Checklist-Plus Behavioral Snapshots Kindergarten Readiness PowerPoint Slide Show E-Folios Accreditation Portfolio 3. Language Language Introduction Lights, Camera, Action Where's the Bear? Photo Shoot Picture This Learning Lotto Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Color a Rainbow Whose Shoes? I'm Thinking of... On your Mark, Get Set, Name It 4. Storytelling/Drama Storytelling/Drama Introduction I Am the Story Storytime Puzzle The Great Magnetic Me Create a Tale Tell Me a Tale Block Heads My Own Slide Show When I Grow Up Puppet Fun Watch Me 5. Emerging Literacy Emerging Literacy Introduction Picture a Word My Favorite Character "Label It" Book Picture a Project Look at What We Did Look at Me Greeting Cards Catch Me If You Can Sample Word Cards Personalized Shape Books 6. Social Studies Social Studies Introduction "Shining Stars" Book Watch Me Grow! Where in the World Are We? Chef du Jour Face the Feeling Mapmakers What's in Here? Occupation Visitation Who's Playing? You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby 7. Physical Development Physical Development Introduction Architects Under Construction Look at What I Can Do How Does It Move? Follow the Flag Do the Locomotion Tactile Mats Sorting Out the Themes Lace a Favorite Photo Place Mats Silhouettes 8. Mathematics Mathematics Introduction A Place for Everything Look at My Day The Shape of Things Eating by Numbers Call Me Counting on You Treasure Hunt Exercise by the Day Part of the Whole Big, Bigger, Biggest 9. Sensory Exploration Sensory Exploration Introduction What's Missing? Funny Friends Sound Lotto Going on a Trip Texture Walk Touch a Poster Sniff a Recipe By Nose Alone Minestrone Sweet and Sour 10. Science Science Introduction Weight for Me Animal Tails Magnetic Challenge Healthful Snack Partners What Grows? How's the Weather? The Steps of Planting Rising to the Occasion Magic Crystals Science Talk 11. Toddlers and Technology Toddlers and Technology Introduction Picture-Object Match Photo Lotto Color Matching Game Happy, Sad, Mad Posters My First Numbers Look What I Can Do! Photo Name Cards What Do You See? My Family Poster Room Sort 12. Children With Special Needs Children With Special Needs Introduction Two-Part Reading Cards What's Next? Picture Exchange Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) What's Happening? Individual Itineraries Number Hunt Self-Help Graph Who Is Not Here Today? Communications Book References Index.
- (source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publisher's Summary
- 'A direct, dynamic approach to learning for early childhood' - Karla Bronzynski, First-Grade Teacher, Eldora-New Providence School District, IA. 'A wonderful resource for using photography across all the developmental domains. This very practical and useful book supports all of its activities with sound developmental practices' - Michelle Barnea, Early Childhood Consultant. In the second edition of "Picture This", the author explores the expanded photography options that are now available for enriching early childhood instruction. Children are thrilled when they see themselves in pictures, and this book shows teachers how to place them at the center of an exciting visual learning process. Written in a user-friendly format and filled with illustrations, the book provides field-tested and developmentally appropriate photography activities across 10 subject areas, including emerging literacy, physical development, sensory exploration, social studies, math/science, and drama. Each activity offers an objective and description and can be adapted for independent exploration, one-on-one instruction, small groups, and family involvement. Three new chapters discuss: ongoing student assessment, the use of standards, and systematic documentation; activities for children with special needs; and the use of photography with toddlers. Enrich your early childhood curriculum and fully engage young children through the fascinating world of digital photography.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publication date
- 9781412971287 (cloth : alk. paper)
- 1412971284 (cloth : alk. paper)
- 9781412971294 (pbk. : alk. paper)
- 1412971292 (pbk. : alk. paper)
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Preparing Students for Success with Reading in the Content Areas
In this strategy guide, you’ll learn how to determine the level and type of support you need to provide students based on careful preparation as a content area expert.
Reading with Purpose in the Content Areas
In this strategy guide, you’ll learn how to organize students and instruction to establish a sense of purpose for reading authentic texts in the content areas.
Supporting Student Comprehension in Content Area Reading
In this strategy guide, you’ll learn a few simple, yet powerful, techniques to encourage students to use peer talk and writing to enhance their understanding of content area texts.
Introducing Ideas and Vocabulary with the Concept Sort
A Concept Sort is a vocabulary and comprehension strategy used with students to introduce new topics and/or familiarize students with new vocabulary.
Introducing New Content with Seed Discussions
In this strategy guide, you’ll learn how to elicit ideas and conversation about new concepts or content by effectively holding a Seed Discussion in your classroom.
“Logistics of Mathematics Journals: Frequently Asked Questions”
This list provides practical suggestions to answer such questions as the following:
• How can teachers respond to children’s journal entries?
• Do I grade them?
• How can I use math journals with a textbook?
Authentic Writing Experiences and Math Problem-Solving Using Shopping Lists
Students use their problem-solving skills to stay within their budget as they choose items they plan to buy and create their personal shopping lists.
Bridging Literature and Mathematics by Visualizing Mathematical Concepts
Math-related, informational books, Actual Size (Jenkins, 2004) and If You Hopped Like a Frog (Schwartz, 1999) provide the focus for this lesson, which connects reading, writing, math, and science.
Draw a Math Story: From the Concrete to the Symbolic
This activity begins with the reading aloud of several math-oriented stories, identifies key mathematical vocabulary terms, models math story writing, and then gives students an opportunity to write addition and subtraction stories.
Exploring Sets through a Math-Related Book Pair
This lesson integrates reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing mathematical ideas while simultaneously strengthening home-school communication.
Introducing the Venn Diagram in the Kindergarten Classroom
Choose among these ideas for using hula hoops and real objects, as well as online interactives, to introduce the Venn diagram to young children as they sort, compare and contrast, and organize information in the content areas of art, math, social studies, science, and literature.
Talking, Writing, and Reasoning: Making Thinking Visible with Math Journals
In this lesson, the teacher encourages students to talk about and record their attempts as they work and record solutions, strategies, and other observations.
What If We Change the Story? Problem Posing with Sixteen Cows
A piece of math-related children’s literature, Sixteen Cows (Wheeler, 2002), is used as the springboard for this problem-posing as students are invited to brainstorm some literary and mathematical observations to the story.
Name Tag Glyphs
In this lesson, students practice a way to communicate without words by using a glyph. They create a name card using information about themselves. Students also interpret glyphs made by others.


Your child can create a special word find that will delight and challenge friends and family during the next holiday gathering! Searching for words in a word find boosts vocabulary and letter recognition skills! Not only will your child create something fun for the whole family to enjoy, but integrate his math and language skills!
What You Do:
- Invite your child to think of several words that have to do with the holiday season, such as "ornament," "snow" or grandma's "cookies." Offer him a sheet of scrap paper and pencil to write down his ideas.
- To make the word finding area he'll start out by making a square using the ruler and pencil. A 7-by-7 inch square filled with lines a half-inch apart creates a perfect grid for a word search.
- After drawing the outside square for the grid he'll next use the ruler to measure and mark dots at every half-inch onto the perimeter of the square. Then it's as simple as drawing the straight lines with pen.
- Once the grid has been created, have him write some or all of the words he thought up into the grid. He can have them connected or floating alone within the word search; going horizontally, vertically, or diagonally!
- Encourage your child to fill in the rest of the word find using random letters.
- Now he can write the words he selected along the bottom of the paper so others can look for them in his holiday word search.
- Help your child make copies of his finished word find for others to enjoy during your next holiday gathering. (He can offer a fun prize to the person that finds all his hidden words first!)
This activity is so easy to personalize and include words meaningful to the people who'll be playing; they can even be mailed out as part of a unique holiday card.
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


“Physical development is the physical growth and the development of both gross (e.g. walking) and fine motor (e.g. finger movements) control of the body”
This is a fantastic way in describing physical development in all children as they grow, however there is more that comes into play when considering the physical development in young children.
Children gain control of their bodies at a young age, and this is done through the links that they create with their brains and their bodies so they gain the abilities to move around in the way they wish to.
Gross motor skills will always come before fine motor skills and fine motor skills require higher levels of concentration and patience then what gross motor requires.
There are lots of different milestones children will gain in the first 5 years of their lives that will be important for when they are adults. A great way to explain these milestone and to show you how much children develop physically in their first 5 years of life is through this table.
|Physical development by six months||He/she will show basic distinctions in vision, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, temperature and perceiving pain. They will also lift their head when on their stomach and possibly show squeals of delight as well as grasp objects and roll over.|
|Physical development by 12 months||They can control their torso and hands, sit without support, crawl and has growing control of legs and feet. He/she may stand or creep across the floor.|
|Physical development by 18 months||Can creep or crawl up stairs, possibly walk, draw lines on paper with crayon and will show growing physical independence.|
|Physical development by age two||They can go up and down steps, run, sit self on chair, use a spoon and fork, turn single pages in a book, kick a ball, attempt to dress themself, build a tower of six blocks, kick a ball and has bowel and bladder control (though they may not care to show it and be toilet trained!).|
|Physical development by age three||They can run well, march, stand on one foot briefly, ride a tricycle, feed themself (with a bit of mess), put on their own shoes and socks (though not tie laces!), unbutton and button.|
|Physical development by age four||They can skip on one foot, cut with scissors, wash and dry their own face, dress themself, throw a ball overhand and other skills to show growing independence.|
|Physical development by age five||They can hop and skip, dress without help, has good balance and smoother muscle action, skate or ride a scooter, print and write simple letters establish whether they are left or right handed. Girls’ fine motor skill development is likely to be about one year ahead of boys.|
This table only covers some of the development milestones in regards to physical skills that children will go through from birth to 5 years of age.
The majority in this table that are mentioned are specifically linked to gross motor skills which involved moving the whole body to complete a task such as kicking a ball or skipping with a jump rope. the other main type of physical development that is important to mention is fine motor skills. These skills involve writing and sewing and even help children when it comes to gross motor through throwing a ball or holding a cricket bat with the correct hand grip.
Without fine motor skills children may find it harder to reach milestones in gross motor.
Children acquire gross and fine motor skills in early life through daily activities and games with their peers and also through watching what their teachers or parents or guardians are doing and how they are doing it.
To finish up here are some websites that have different games or activities you can do with children to assist them with their fine and gross motor skills.


May 27, 2010 -
Every day, the students of Juan Morel Campos Secondary School walk by this abandoned building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Few have ever really noticed it. One or two students may have snuck a quick peek into the burnt-out ground floor, but most of the students, when asked, imagine the building is filled with rats. And dead bodies. And ghosts.
The true story of this abandoned building is even more colorful. In the early 1980's, it housed a Jewish synagogue on the ground floor and artist studios on the upper floors. "The rabbi was the landlord," said Ron Rocco, an artist who first leased a studio space in the building in 1984. Rocco recalled seeing huge matzo ovens in the back of the building and, in the basement below the synagogue, handmade mikvehs - the ritual baths used to purify members of the Hasidic community.
This all came to an end in 1989, a second artist from the building recalled, with a "dramatic arson story... a typical case of 'Catskills Lightning'." Ron Rocco was there on the day of the fire - "It was like 9:30 in the morning and all of the sudden I see this big black billowing smoke coming up from the the floorboards... nobody died or was injured but there was huge amounts of structural damage. I had a 20 foot by 10 foot hole in my floor in two spaces. All my walls were collapsed." The synagogue on the ground floor was destroyed, and never again reopened.
What followed was even more painful. "We weren't going to leave unless we absolutely had to leave, so we rebuilt by ourselves," recalls Rocco. It took about 5 years to repair the studio spaces, and throughout the 1990's, artists worked in the building and exhibited at a Rocco's in-house gallery space, Bernadette Salvage Fine Art. But, according to one artist, "the ownership of the building was in dispute since [the fire], and though artists living in it sought to gain control, eventually they lost the many court battles, under some nasty circumstances." Even as Williamsburg was becoming a hotspot for artists from around the country, the residents of this building were struggling to cope with the costs of 13 years of litigation.
Rocco and his fellow artists were forced to leave the building in 2003. "There is so much history in this place, there is so much violence in the process of what happened to this building, and to us in this building," Rocco recalled. "And then finally to then get pushed out... just left a very bitter bitter edge to the whole thing." To say goodbye, two other artists in the building remember organizing "a big 27-artist and multiple-band show/party for the eviction, called Everything Must Go."
The building has remained empty and abandoned since 2003. On the ground floor, all that remains of the synagogue is a large safe that may have once housed the Torah. A cat skeleton lies nearby on a dirt covered floor. On the upper floors, a squatter has created a home. A homemade bed, covered in a layer of undisturbed dust, has a baseball bat laid across it. Nearby are glass bongs, a knife, unused needles, empty 40s. On the floor are dozens of 35mm slides and a magazine about homeless photography, implying the squatter may have also been an artist. From one corner, a giant skull lamp looks out. In a closet, two dead pigeons are strung up.
To Ron Rocco, who spent almost 20 years here, this building tells a story "about real estate and the arts in New York.... Its a dirty story and art is supposed to be pristine... but the fact of the matter is that it has been dovetailed and undermined by the real estate presence in this town, because its the first wedge that brings in gentrification. The artists themselves don't have anything to gain from it - they just become pawns in the game."
These photographs were commissioned by the BRIC Rotunda Gallery and were exhibited at the gallery in an installation titled This Building Has A Story. Organized by artist Angela Earley, this installation included artwork by the students of Juan Morel Campos Secondary School, who were inspired by my photographs. This Building Has A Story was included in the 22nd Annual BRIC Contemporary Art Education Exhibition, titled Invent/Onsite, and curated by Hawley Hussey, BRIC's Director of Education. Invent/Onsite was on view at the BRIC Rotunda Gallery in May and June, 2010.


As part of our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship in our community, the port of Cleveland has applied for a Submerged Lands Lease for the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve (CLNP) from the state of Ohio. The lease will allow the port to continue to keep this ecologically important 88-acre natural green space open to the public.
CLNP is a man-made peninsula on the Lake Erie shoreline in the heart of Cleveland. The Preserve, formerly known as Dike 14, was created over time as sediment dredged from the Cuyahoga River and Cleveland Harbor was placed within dike walls along the lakeshore. After the site was closed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1999, nature took hold. And with little human intervention, the peninsula became filled with plants, trees and shrubs that attracted diverse species of birds and other wildlife.
In 2011, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority committed to opening the site and officially renamed Dike 14 as the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve, and on February 6, 2012, the port formally opened the preserve to the public. It is open daily during daylight hours and has 1.2 miles of shoreline and over 2.5 miles of trails. It is intended for walking, observing nature, research and education. The preserve also is an important community asset that can draw residents and visitors to Cleveland’s lake shore and create opportunities for additional economic development through recreation and eco-tourism.
The preserve is located at the intersection of four migratory bird routes: Lake Erie, the shore of Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River Valley and the Doan Brook Valley. Its diverse habitats have sustained more than 280 species of birds, over 41 species of butterflies, and many mammals over time. The site was designated as an Important Bird Area by Audubon Ohio because it provides essential habitat, where birds can breed, rest during migration or spend the winter.
In Fall 2013, the port increased public access by nearly doubling the amount of trails open to the public. In partnership, and through a generous donation of the Garden Club of Cleveland as their centennial gift to the community, an overlook was built to provide spectacular views of Lake Erie and the Cleveland skyline. Currently, the port works very closely with Cleveland Metroparks through a license agreement for ongoing maintenance to the CLNP.
In addition to increased access to public space, CLNP also plays an important role in education. In 2013, the port began a partnership with the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to educate elementary school students on environmental restoration, local wildlife and native and non-native plant species at CLNP. The port of Cleveland works with the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes to help design projects suitable for student visitors as part of the Applied Science for Kids (ASK!) program.
The port recognizes the important ecological impact of having this preserve in the heart of the city. We’ve worked to make the site safer for long-term use for animals and humans by complying with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s requirement to place a four-foot cap of material over a five-acre area in need of remediation. The river sediment used was extensively tested and approved by U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA to meet the necessary criteria for passive recreation. The area was then planted with an extensive seed mix of native grasses. The port worked in partnership with U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Cuyahoga County, Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District and the city of Cleveland.
The port is responsible for the site through an agreement with the federal government. This obligation officially began in 1976 when the port agreed to be the local sponsor on this federal project and then in 2000, when the site was turned over to the port. Plans for the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve are public and were presented to the Cleveland Planning Commission for approval in April 2010. We continue to work toward implementing this plan with the goal of connecting people and nature on the waterfront.
From opening and managing the 88-acre Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve, to keeping the river and lakefront free of floating debris, the port of Cleveland helps improve the quality of life in our region and helps safeguard two of our greatest natural assets – the Cuyahoga River and Cleveland’s Lake Erie shoreline.
Will Friedman is the president and CEO of the port of Cleveland.


Common Core Lesson Plan Organizers for Math and ELA
- Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5
The week before school began, elementary teachers in my district were presented with brand new reading and writing curriculums along with our first new math series in 21 years. These new programs have been put in place to help us prepare our students for full implementation of the Common Core State Standards. Trying to plan lessons these first few weeks, however, with all this new and unfamiliar material, has honestly left my head spinning. On top of all that, we also have a new teacher evaluation system (our third in as many years!) that will let me know if I am highly effective in teaching all of this new material. Oh my!
In trying to keep everything straight, I turned to a lesson tracking organizer that I created lasted year when I was trying to determine how well the lessons I was teaching in our old curriculum matched the Common Core Standards. This week, I thought I would share my lesson tracking organizers with other teachers who may be feeling as overwhelmed as I am right now or who would like to know they are on the right track with their daily lessons.
How Do I Use Them?
I keep these organizers at my fingertips in my all-in-one binder that also houses my lesson plans and grade book. I document which standards my lessons are hitting as I teach them.
When I teach a concept, I write down the date it was initially introduced, then note all work that was done to practice it along with the dates the practice took place. This could include large and small group work, journal pages, writing assignments, etc.
I track the date of all assessments in the assessment column, both formal and informal.
In the outcomes section, I include notes on the percentage of students who have mastered the concept along with notes on those who need more time and practice.
When I need to take additional notes on students or reminders for what I need to do next time, I simply layer sticky notes on top of the binder pages.
How Do They Help?
Since I began using these tracking sheets, I feel like I am getting a much better handle on what the standards are and how they all fit together with my curriculum.
I’m paying closer attention to make sure adequate practice time is being provided. If an assessment shows there are students who are still not proficient, then I know I need to provide additional support for that standard.
My teaching has become more focused and efficient. I look over the organizer while planning lessons and look for ways to add in ideas from several different strands and learning modalities to my weekly lessons.
These sheets can be a tool to include with any artifacts you may need to provide for your teacher evaluation. They are an easy way to demonstrate you have a purposeful and thoughtful process in place to help your children meet all the required standards.
Download Lesson Plan Trackers for Your Grade Level
While I originally created the trackers for my third grade classroom, I've taken standards for K-5 and put them into files for all grade levels. Looking at the standards for grades that precede mine is also helping me fill in the gaps that are occurring in some areas due to changing curriculums.
The ELA trackers provide all of the standards at each grade level in Reading (Literature and Informational), Writing, Foundational Skills, Speaking and Listening, and Language.
The math trackers cover all of the math strands at each grade level including Measurement, Geometry, and Algebraic Operations.
Each tracker is completely editable, created in Word so you can adjust them to meet your likes and needs. Every standard also includes a link to corestandards.org where you can get more information on the standards.
Click on each picture below to download your own copy.
Lesson Trackers in PDF Format
English Language Arts
|Grade 1||Grade 1|
|Grade 2||Grade 2|
|Grade 3||Grade 3|
|Grade 4||Grade 4|
|Grade 5||Grade 5|
I'm hoping you will find these organizers as helpful as I do when I'm planning my lessons. What tips do you have for teachers like me who are making their way through this uncharted territory of the Common Core? I'd love to read your comments and tips for Common Core implementation below.


MS Nucleus is developing a complete free science curriculum, and so far all the levels K-6th grade are completed. When you visit their website, click on “Free Access”, and you’ll be able to download all the lesson plans, activities, and worksheets for any level directly to your computer. You can then print out any or all of this information.
MS Nucleus has designed each year of work to cover topics in units of varying lengths: Applied Science, Universe Cycle, Plate Tectonics, Rock Cycle, Water Cycle, and Life Cycle. (Chemistry and physics topics are addressed throughout the curriculum, as appropriate for the context of each unit.) Every unit is sequenced to build on the ones that came before, which is why Life Cycle comes last each year. The underlying idea is that you can’t really understand how life is sustained if you don’t already have some background in understanding the water cycle and the earth sciences, and you understand the earth science topics better with some grounding in understanding the universe cycle, and so on. The applied science topics are designed to demonstrate ways in which science is useful in everyday life.
Overall, the curriculum does seem to be well organized to lead to an understanding of how the various branches of science are interrelated and why they are important. As a big fan of Nebel’s Elementary Education, (a topic for another article, in its own right) I’ve come to really appreciate how meaningful it is to present science in such a way that students can make crucial connections and understand how everything fits together, rather than just teaching random disjointed topics hear and there.
Because the courses are organized in units, however, you can certainly just pick and choose the topics that you want to cover, to fit with other science related activities and interests that you may have. You download the lesson plans and worksheets for each unit individually, so you can easily download and print only the units in which you have the most interest.
Activities are a central component of the program, which is great for elementary science, but it does mean that you will need to gather some materials. The website does sell kits of supplies for each unit, and they are relatively reasonably priced. At this point, however, I plan to use materials that I have locally, and adapt the lessons if I can’t locate something. For instance, one of the lessons has you using hand lenses to observe the characteristics of various specific sea shells. You could easily use the magnifying lenses you have on hand, and then collect items to observe on a nature walk. Especially if you use this program as a supplement to other resources, it won’t matter much if you can’t do each and every lesson exactly as specified.
See also my review of Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding, an outstanding k-2 science curriculum at an amazing price.
There are such wonderful, affordable materials available for science these days!If this page was helpful, Stumble it!


SchoolArts is a national art education magazine committed to promoting excellence, advocacy, and professional support for educators in the visual arts since 1901.
Issue link: http://www.schoolartsdigital.com/i/218040
Looking & Learning Creating Pull-out Resource Creating is the act of bringing something into the world, whether it is a sculpture, performance, drawing, painting, poem, story, or craft. A rtists and art educators spend a lot of time thinking about and discussing creativity and how it works. While everyone is capable of creating something, not everything that we make is creative. For example, you can create a painting or a craft by following step-by-step instructions that end with a pre-determined product. Artists are mostly interested in the kind of creating that brings new and imaginative things into the world—things that might not otherwise exist. The unique and imaginative works of Odilon Redon and Allison Schulnik are examples great examples of art that approaches materials and subject matter in innovative ways. Allison Schulnik, Cat Head, 2011. Oil on linen, 24 x 24" (61 x 61 cm). Private collection, image courtesy of ZieherSmith, NY and the artist. About the Artists/Artworks Odilon redon (1840–1960), Spring Odilon Redon was strongly influenced by Romantic literature. His early works from the late 1800s were predominantly dark visions of composite creatures and haunting dreams found in Romantic poetry and novels. He even dedicated one portfolio of prints to the works of Edgar Allan Poe. After 1890, however—embracing bright color and influenced by the post-impressionists—he abandoned printmaking as his chief art form in favor of painting, and produced beautiful and lyrical, yet haunting works that embodied subjects ranging from antiquity to Christianity to allegorical subjects such as Spring. In his painted work, as in his printmaking, he created an extremely personal vision that had a profound impact on modern artists in the early 1900s and continues to influence artists working today. Allison Schulnik (b. 1978), Cat Head Allison Schulnik earned her BFA degree in experimental animation, but her work spans the fields of animation, painting, and performance. Her imagery is reminiscent of the horrific yet beautifully painted visions of James Ensor, Frank Auerbach, and Francisco de Goya. Her alternate realities combine subjects from the circus, cemeteries, and medieval Dance of Death figures. While Schulnik's evil clowns, hobos, and skeletal figures literally drip paint, the content of her paintings are not as compelling as the surfaces themselves. Schulnik's morphing subjects occupy a curious realm between three-dimensional and two-dimensional art, and in the end, her work is a tour-de-force in celebrating the medium rather than the subject matter. Schulnik's animations are a brilliant documentation of the artistic process in action, as her sculpted figures transform wildly, layering colors and materials in a sequence that exemplifies the act of creating. schoolartsonline.com 23


From the website: (visit link
The Museum of Nature & Science is the result of a 2006 merging, unlike any in the nation, of three cultural institutions – the Dallas Museum of Natural History (est. 1936), The Science Place (est. 1946) and the Dallas Children’s Museum (est. 1995). The combination of the Dallas Museum of Natural History and the Science Place was completed in June of 2006. The Children’s Museum combination was completed the following October. These combinations have resulted in an exciting family destination, which is able to better serve the community and steward its investment in the institution. The Museum’s mission is to inspire minds through nature and science!
At present, the museum is proceeding with plans for a new state-of-the-art facility in the Victory Park area of downtown Dallas. Further details can be found in the Museum Expansion section of our Information page on our website.
Dallas Museum of Natural History was founded in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial and was one of the first natural history museums in the region. It is now included in the National Register of Historic Places and is the only public collections-based, research driven, Natural History Museum in the region. It has contributed to major discoveries including the validation of the Monte Verde findings and the excavation and transport of Sauropod dinosaur fossils from Big Bend. DMNH earned Smithsonian Institution Affiliate Museum status in 1999.
The Science Place was founded in 1946 as the Dallas Health Museum and is one of the oldest science museums in the nation, accredited by both the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) and the American Association of Museums (AAM). It was the first museum in Dallas to receive AAM accreditation and is one of seven museums that founded ASTC. TSP celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2006.
Dallas Children's Museum was founded in 1995 and served as a hands-on early childhood learning destination.
The Museum occupies three landmark structures in Fair Park and owns an offsite warehouse for storage. In its "Nature Building" are housed more than 200,000 items in its collections comprised of artifacts, eco-facts, entomology, vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology, malacology, ichthyology, herpetology, ornithology, and mammal specimens. The collections cover approximately 1.7 billion years of Earth’s history and are illustrated through exhibitions focused on geology, earth sciences, biodiversity, a fossil prep lab and a live animal room. In the Science Building are more than 200 permanent hands-on exhibits on physics, astronomy, health, robotics, nature, and special young children’s venues. Over one-million dollars in notable additional exhibit/gallery launches were recently completed. This includes NetWorks! digital communications, The Dental Gallery, and The Little Urban Farm. This facility is also home to special exhibitions, galleries, an auditorium, the early childhood galleries and the TI Founders IMAX® Theatre. The IMAX® was opened in 1996 with a 323 seat auditorium that provides an immersion educational experience with a 79-foot domed screen and 12,000 watts of surround and overhead sound. The third building is the Planetarium, the only public one in the City, and through a generous grant from The Crystal Charity Ball, a new Digistar 3 System has been installed, offering a continual roster of programs about astronomy and space exploration.


“DuBois says his objective is to represent what it is like to be black in America at the
beginning of the 20
century. He does this because he believes that race is the central
problem of the century to come.”
How does it feel to be a problem? AAs are defined based upon how others view
them and have no other way to create a personal identity. This is what created the veil
between the AAs’ world (where someone defines his identity for him) and the white
man’s world (full of opportunities). How can one be black and American when
Americans have taken away so many black freedoms?
For DuBois, literacy was more important than freedom because then he can see
how his race is portrayed by whites. Literacy provides knowledge.
1863- Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves. 1864- Freedmen’s
Bureau established to assist slaves with transitioning into a free life. The Bureau’s major
success was educating the freed slaves. Free elementary education in the South even


The Place of Penn: Benjamin Franklin, “Founder”
“For though the American Youth are allow’d not to want Capacity; yet the best Capacities require Cultivation….” — Benjamin Franklin, 1749
n 1749, Benjamin Franklin was 43 years old: a wealthy printer just retired from business life, socially influential and ambitious, and eager to turn his attention to non-commercial pursuits like science, politics, and education. With his Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania (1749), Franklin engaged Philadelphia’s prosperous merchant and professional class in the formation of an “academy,” an institution for boys with some prior elementary education which would teach them a wide range of subjects and skills. He argued that they should learn what was “most useful and most ornamental,” based upon the “several professions for which they are intended”: mathematics, drawing, writing, English language and letters, oratory, and ancient and modern history. Students preparing for the ministry or medicine would study classical languages, while those becoming merchants would focus upon “living languages.” In addition, Franklin hoped that all students would learn practical skills, including planting and natural history, mechanics and other sciences.
Franklin (who had spent little time in formal schools and often poked fun at the “learned”) did not wish to appear radically new: he cites a range of authors as precedents, and his essay contains detailed footnotes summarizing their views. His proposals resemble schools run by groups of English Protestant Dissenters, including Philadelphia’s Quakers, who advocated English language-based learning and opposed the insular pedantry of the universities. At the same time, Franklin’s emphasis on teaching practical talents, and his insistence on making education civically useful—developing students’ “Ability to serve Mankind, one’s Country, Friends and Family”—may indeed be novel. Although the academy would not stress religion, Franklin did note that the study of history would teach the “Necessity of a Publick Religion” and the “Excellency of the Christian Religion above all others.”
he Constitutions of the Publick Academy, drafted and printed in 1749, announced the school’s organization and the ideals of its twenty-four founding Trustees, who argued for the moral and economic benefits of a proper “education of youth.” The Academy would consist of Latin and English “Schools” or divisions, open to students as young as eight whose parents or sponsors could pay the relatively high tuition of £1 per quarter-year. Beginning students would learn the “dead and living Languages” before moving on to history, logic, writing, and mathematics. Franklin planned the English program in his 1751 Idea of the English School, again stressing writing, oratory, and modern English literature. In the Academy Franklin’s ideas were modified, however, the Latin Master serving as Rector with an English Master to “assist” him.
In 1751, the Academy of Philadelphia opened in the “New Building,” a large hall on Fourth Street near Arch which had been built in 1740 for the revivalist preacher George Whitefield. Franklin and the Trustees continued to grow their institution, opening a free charity school for younger students months later (the New Building had originally been constructed to serve as a charity school, but not until Franklin and the Trustees opened theirs did it actually do so.) The school obtained a charter in 1755 to begin a college, the first in Pennsylvania colony. Though its small student body was composed mainly of members of the elite, the College was religiously unaffiliated, unusual in a world in which most colleges were limited to those being trained for the ministry.
Ironically,the institution became a center of religious and political conflict. Provost William Smith sought to increase the influence of Anglicans in the school and became Franklin’s enemy by supporting the Penn family Proprietors, themselves Anglicans. In a 1756 letter to his English correspondent Peter Collinson, Franklin, after ordering electrical apparatus for the Academy, condemns both Quaker “stiffrumps” in the Assembly and Smith’s fierce politics. Smith would remain Provost until 1779, while Franklin, during his long stays in England and France, grew distant from the workings of the Academy and College. Although named President of a reorganized Board of Trustees in 1789, Franklin composed a scathing pamphlet in the same year on the unrealized “intentions of the original founders.” He condemned the partiality shown to the Latin School, with the result of “injudiciously starving the English part of our scheme of education.”