Jump-Starting Boys: Brains and Hormones

"Everyone knows boys are falling behind girls in education. And that has lots of people, especially educators and politicians, busy pointing fingers and engaging in loud discussions. But what about the average guilt-ridden, frustrated mother or father of an underachieving boy? Someone who wants to know in plain language what’s behind this trend and what they can do about it?

What about readers who crave positive support, not political shrillness? Most existing books on “the boy problem” make parent readers feel even more helpless than the school system and their job demands have made them feel already.

Jump-starting Boys is the first book on the market that empowers parent readers, give them a sense of being able to reclaim the duty and rewards of raising their children and assuring them they really can mitigate and/or work with the influences of school, media and more." [reprinted with permission from Viva Editions press information]

The following is an excerpt from Chapter Four of Jump-Starting Boys: What Hold Smart Kids Back?

Brains and Hormones 

Physical Issues

If boys and girls are different, is that how they’re born, or the way we raise them? We can’t emphasize enough what a silly question this is, because the answer is obviously some of each. Experts will never agree on exactly how much is nature versus nurture, nor exactly which types of behaviors align with which.

And that’s okay, because parents don’t need to get into the murky debate over how differently wired brains and hormones can affect language and learning, to get the information they need to raise their sons well. They just need to stay open-minded to the fact that there are differences, both physical and cultural, and that their parenting style will have only limited influence against these. While a degree of skepticism is healthy, it is counterproductive to ignore all the science. If women are particularly wary of the nature-versus-nurture debate, that’s understandable, given that they’ve been the ones most hurt in the past by misinformation and manipulations.

As Christina Hoff Sommers says in The War Against Boys, “It wasn’t all that long ago that intelligent men were deploying the idea of innate differences to justify keeping women down socially, legally, and politically. The corrective to that shameful history is not more bad science and rancorous philosophy; it is good science and clear thinking about the rights of all individuals, however they may differ.”

In recent years, key developments in many areas of science (neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, genetics, and neuroendocrinology) confirm the many differences with which boys and girls are born; in other words, differences that scientists pretty much agree can be chalked up to nature, not nurture.

Here’s the key one: Girls’ brains tend to mature earlier than boys’. That’s why girls develop faster than boys in many ways, but especially as regards reading, speaking, and writing. The gap shows up at around age three, and closes about the time boys hit seventeen. 
Most people accept this in the preschool years; it seems everyone knows about it and alters their expectations accordingly. But by kindergarten, parents and teachers are wary of treating kids differently, or allowing for different sets of expectations based on gender. Add to that the trend toward kindergartens focusing on academics over activities that kids initiate (which favors girls over boys), larger class sizes (leading to “crowd control” measures to which girls adapt more easily than boys), and the lack of male teachers in elementary schools (allowing for inadvertent biases, like a lack of tolerance for squirming boys).

Now add the next key factor: Boys tend to be more impulsive and need to move around more than girls. Not a problem as long as parents and teachers accept this. But as the number of male teachers (and principals) has decreased in elementary schools, class sizes have expanded and energy-absorbing activities like art, gym, drama, and recess have been cut back, boys’ natural energy is often seen as unnatural. Hence, the skyrocketing number of boys referred to those who would prescribe drugs to calm them. Have parents and teachers begun to see boys as faulty girls?

As they progress through elementary grades, boys feel the ever-heavier weight of disapproval. What parent isn’t distressed when phoned by the principal or given a negative report at a parent- teacher conference? Imagine being told your son is not reading well (compared with whom?), not reading the “right” things (determined largely by female teachers and female librarians), and not settling into writing exercises (which may be heavily skewed to what females like as we discuss in Chapter Nine).

Any tolerance adults have for boys’ language lag in preschool disappears by the time boys reach puberty, likely a major contributing factor to boys developing a negative view of their own language skills and beginning to tune out. The exceptions, as we’ve pointed out before, are the “elites,” typically blessed with strict time limits on screen time at home, ample literary encouragement from their families, positive reinforcement at home for what reading and writing they are doing, and positive male role models in their lives.

Basically, differences in brain structure, hormone levels, and speed of maturing work against boys when it comes to reading, writing, and impulse control. But the existence of “elite boys” proves that those who get encouragement and support can thrive.

As Michael Sullivan puts it in Connecting Boys with Books 2, “The reading gap can be explained largely in terms of brain development lag, making it much less frightening, because boys’ brains eventually catch up, presumably along with their ability to handle language. What then becomes the issue is how we treat children while this brain lag exists, because the development lag really disappears only during the last stages of high school, and by then we have little opportunity to make up for any ground lost.”

The trick for parents is to give boys a more physical learning environment (let them be antsy, handle materials, illustrate or act out stories), give them more frequent breaks, and do whatever it takes to keep them supported and motivated until the gender gap starts to close so they won’t label themselves stupid or lazy and give up. In other words, patience is required when it comes to boys’ reading and writing. And starting them on reading by themselves before they’re ready (age five or so) can backfire.

Read the full review of Jump-Starting Boys.

Reference

Withers, Pan and Gill, Cynthia. Jump-Starting Boys: Help Your Reluctant Reader Find Success in School and Life. Viva Editions. 2013. Excerpt of pages 74-77 reprinted with permission from Viva Editions.

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. This excerpt is reprinted here with the authors' permission. Permission to republish this blog in part or in full in any format must be granted by the author of this book in writing.

Jump-Starting Boys: Help Your Reluctant Reader Find Success in School and Life

While parents may "feel" that their sons are falling behind in school, and teachers may have evidence of the shift in boys' academic performance, the reasons why this is occurring and what to do about it are not as clear. This issue, and ways parents and teachers can help boys to achieve and do well in school, is the topic of the newly released book, Jump-Starting Boys by Pam Withers and Cynthia Gill.

This easy-to-read handbook sets the stage for readers by discussing the reasons why somewhere around fourth grade, bright, eager, and up until then, engaged boys begin to fail in school, and become discouraged reluctant learners.

At the heart of the solution Withers and Gill offer is an emphasis on helping boys to become better readers - they see success in reading as the key to academic success and success in life beyond school. In the Introduction to Jump-Starting Boys, they say, "We firmly believe that reading confidence is a keystone to educational success, which in turn increases one's chances of a more stable, satisfying life."

The "Boy" Problem

This book presents a great discussion of the "problem" and offers a multitude of solutions that can be used in both school and home. This is an engaging read filled with hands-on ideas and tips in plain language - not "academic-speak" as the authors call it.

The authors begin with a short discussion of the seven reasons why boys are underachieving: Physical, Reading/writing gap, Home structure, School structure, fear-based backlash, Morals and Parenting styles, followed by seven tips for ways to turn boys around. There is an excellent chapter on what holds boys back, including learning disabilities, learning styles, developmental issues and how parents can help with those issues.

The topics of the influence of Dads and mentors are discussed, as well as ways to encourage boys to become better readers and to writers.

Hands-On Ways to Help Boys Succeed

The book contains to in-depth discussions of over 200 hands-on approaches that parents can adopt and use at home right away - and ideas that can be used in school as well. There are also many success stories describing the effects of these ideas on real-life boys and their achievement. Subject-specific ideas and advice fill this book - with emphasis on reading and writing especially. The research is well cited and there is a full and very user-friendly appendix of sources, recommended readings and useful websites.

In this book, Withers and Gill teach parents and teachers to:

• "Determine their son’s learning style and how best to help him learn.
• Encourage a reluctant reader via book clubs, graphic novels, and kinesthetic activities related to reading.
• Emphasize on one-on-one interaction during reading time.
• Limit screen time without coming across as a tyrant.
• Use their son’s interest in technology to foster excitement about learning and forming good reading habits.
• Teach their son to be a self-motivated, lifelong reader." [Viva Editions]

About the Authors

Pam Withers is a former business journalist and the bestselling, award-nominated author of more than a dozen adventure novels particularly popular with teen boys. She is also co-author with John Izzo of the highly acclaimed Values Shift: The New Work Ethic and What It Means for Business (Prentice Hall Canada 2000). Her magazine writing credits include McCalls, Working Woman, Profit and numerous inflight magazines. Withers travels North America extensively, speaking at schools, librarians’ and writers’ conferences. She’s a dual U.S./Canadian citizen. The second of six siblings, she spent her growing-up years trying to measure up to her smarter, better-looking older sister, Cynthia. (She has just about outgrown that.) Withers and her husband, a university professor, live in Vancouver, Canada, where they recently completed raising a high-energy son who spent his adolescence as the official teen editor of her teen adventure novels.

During her thirty-year career as a high school teacher, Cynthia Gill, M.A., L.M.F.T. worked on innovative curricula development and served as an academic dean, while winning acclaim for her work in the classroom. She completed her master's degree in Adlerian psychotherapy and counseling in 2006, and has since worked with adolescents, children and families as a licensed marriage and family therapist. Gill has taught as an adjunct faculty member at Globe University and enjoys public speaking, particularly on parent education. She has led numerous groups of students on educational and service trips to Russia, Germany and Latin America. A former homeschooling mom, she also served as a consultant to homeschooling families with an accrediting organization. She and her husband live in Minneapolis and like to travel in between visits from their three grown sons, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren.

A Great Resource for Parents and Teachers

Jump-Starting Boys is a great resource for parents and teachers of reluctant learners - especially boys. It is a must-read for anyone dealing with an underachieving boy - and contains a wealth of advice that can be instrumental in helping that learner find success in school - and in life!

Readers may enjoy an reading an excerpt from Chapter Four of Jump-Starting Boys: What Hold Smart Kids Back?

Reference

Withers, Pam and Gill, Cynthia. Jump-Starting Boys: Help Your Reluctant Reader Find Success in School and Life. Viva Editions. 2013.

Author bios courtesy of Viva Editions.

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Common Core Standards: Do Kids Need to Learn Math Facts?

Image courtesy of Melinda Kolk

Math facts! Some kids love 'em, most hate 'em! But one thing is for sure. Success with these facts will help to insure success in future mathematics studies.

Back in the "olden days" teachers and parents used to drill kids in their number facts. This idea fell out of favor in the late 1980s and 1990s in favor of a more concept-oriented approach. Some of us still expected mastery of those facts, but with the advent of calculators and computers, proficiency in math facts wasn't as highly emphasized. Turns out - knowing those facts IS important, and "math fact fluency" is now part of the Common Core Standards that have been adopted by the education departments of 45 states.

What are the Common Core Standards?

A complete discussion of the Common Core would take volumes. The Common Core State Standards Initiative says, "The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce."

Standards have been developed for mathematics and English/Language Arts and there are detailed standards for each grade level, kindergarten through grade 12. If you live in a Common Core state, you probably have already heard of the standards. The question is - how can parents and teachers help children meet these standards?

Do Kids Need to Learn Math Facts?

First, some background. According to the The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, "Computational proficiency with whole number operations is dependent on sufficient and appropriate practice to develop automatic recall of addition and related subtraction facts, and of multiplication and related division facts."

The Common Core emphasizes learning on many levels, but, building on the findings of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, it does call for "fluency" in addition and subtraction for second graders and fluency in multiplication and division for third graders - and learning those number facts is a way to gain fluency.

• 2.OA.2. Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By end of Grade 2, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.
• 3.OA.7. Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division. By the end of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers.

Knowing those facts is important! So, how can teachers help their students at school? How can you help your child at home?

You can help by giving your child some strategies for learning important math facts. Strategies for Learning Math Facts has a few "tricks" I use at school, which you can share with your child at home. After your child has mastered these strategies, he can apply them in everyday math work.

Resources

Common Core Standards Initiative. About the Standards. (2012). Accessed August 1, 2013.

US Department of Education. The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. (2008). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Common Core Standards Initiative.  Common Core Math Scope & Sequence.(2010). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Lewin, Tamar. "Panel Proposes Streamlining Math." New York Times. (2008). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Taylor, Irene. Study Skills and Learning Games. (2012).

Taylor, Irene. Homework Help: A Success Guide for Teachers and Parents. (2012).

Laura Candler's Mastering Math Facts - Multiplication & Division: Aligned with the Common Core. (2013).

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Strategies for Learning Math Facts - Addition and Subtraction Facts

Image courtesy of Dave.

Math facts are a fact of school life - given new emphasis in the Common Core Standards adopted by 45 states. How can you help your children learn these facts so that they can move on to more advanced mathematical concepts?

General Strategies for Learning Math Facts

Learning facts in families is a good way to increase mastery. Always have your child learn facts in related groups. 2+3, 3+2, 5-3, and 5-2 are all related facts. So are 4x6, 6x4, 24 divided by 4, and 24 divided by 6. If a child learns facts in groups, it will actually lower the number of "new" facts to be learned. For a good way to practice (here's an oldie but goodie!), make flash cards with two related facts together on the same card (for example, both 4+5 and 5+4 on the front of the same card with 9 on the back as the answer to both problems).

Have your students learn all of the "doubles" first. These are easy ones to remember, and there are only two related facts for each double: 4+4 and 8-4, for example.

No matter which facts your child is learning, it is a good idea to mark off the facts that have already been mastered on a fact chart. This helps to track progress, and also is a good visual for seeing how few facts there are left to learn. For example, by the time your child gets to the 6 times table, she already should know:

• 1x6
• 2x6
• 3x6
• 4x6
• 5x6
• and 6x6 

from the previous times tables and the doubles. That only leaves three new facts: 7x6, 8x6,and 9x6 to be learned. Looking at the few new ones is much more encouraging than looking at the whole table, and students will be happy to see how many they already knows.

Addition and Subtraction Fact Strategies

Doubles Plus One - Once your student has mastered the doubles, teach the "doubles plus one" strategy. For all facts that are one away from a "double" - for example, 4+5 , it is easy to remember the double fact, 4+4, and just add one to the answer. So if 4+4=8, then 4+5 is 9, one more than 8. This will also work as a "doubles minus one" strategy. In the above example, if the student knows 5+5 better, then 4+5 is one LESS than 10.

Counting On - For addition facts that involve a larger number plus 2, 3, or 4, teach students to "count on" to find the answer. For example, in 3+8, have students start with the 8 and count on three more - "nine, ten, eleven" to find the answer.

Strategies for learning multiplication and division facts will be the topic of a related article.

Learn those Basic Number Facts

Number facts are the building blocks of all other computation. According to the Common Core, by the end of Grade 2, children should be proficient in addition and subtraction of single digit numbers. One children have learned the basics, they are then free to apply those to the range of mathematical concepts that the standards encompass.

Working with your child at home is important, and will help him to memorize these basic facts to that he will be free to move on to higher and more complex mathematical learning. Make learning them fun for your child. Encourage success, and he or she will continue to be successful in all math endeavors. Have some fun with those facts, and your child will learn them in no time!

Resources

Common Core Standards Initiative. About the Standards. (2012). Accessed August 1, 2013.

US Department of Education. The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. (2008). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Candler, Laura. Math Fact Mastery and the Common Core. (2013). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Expert Corner: Math Fact Fluency and the Common Core. (2012). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Common Core Standards Initiative.  Common Core Math Scope & Sequence.(2010). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Shenendahowa Central School. Math Facts. (2010). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Lewin, Tamar. "Panel Proposes Streamlining Math." New York Times. (2008). Accessed August 1, 2013.

Taylor, Irene. Common Core Standards: Do Kids need to Learn Math Facts? (2013).

Taylor, Irene. Study Skills and Learning Games. (2012).

Taylor, Irene. Helping with Homework: A Success Guide for Teachers and Parents. (2012).

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Organizing the Classroom: Keeping Track of Journals

Heart Notebook by Midnight A

Do your students use journals in class? Many schools use journals for kids, and keeping track of them can be a difficult task, both for the new teacher and the veteran. Here’s a tip for dealing with this organization problem.

If you are like most new teachers, you have great plans to read every child’s journal and make your own comments on a daily basis. That sounds wonderful in theory, but have you often found yourself facing a pile of 25 or more student journals – all waiting for you to read and comment in? It is easy to let the pressures of day to day teaching, testing, record keeping and discipline put your great plans for reading those journals on the back burner, and before you know it, you have that ominous pile facing you – and no time to really sit and read each and every one.

Here is a tip for new teachers to help manage this situation.

• Begin by dividing the number of students you have in class by four. That will give you a group of students for each day of the week, Monday through Thursday, with no one scheduled on Friday, for reasons that will be explained below.
• Next, assign a different color to each of the four days of the week – Monday through Thursday. So, for example, Monday’s color is blue, Tuesday’s is red, and so on.
• Now, using those “daily” colors and your student groups formed above, mark a large star, circle or other symbol on the cover of each student’s journal in the corresponding color. You may use colored markers, or you might want to use colored stickers or other symbols for this. In fact, you can choose any “grouping” that you want – perhaps using favorite fairy tale characters, meal items, whatever your students will enjoy.

Whatever symbol or color you use, you will now have the journals divided into four groups – be they the red-blue-green-orange grouping or the cookie-candy-ice cream-cake grouping.

Now it is easy to manage those journals. Each day, just collect one group – the red group for example – and you will have a much easier number to read and respond to. In a class of 24, that will be only 6 a day to read – a much more manageable task than trying to do all 24 at once.

So – why only 4 groups? The extra day, presumably Friday, gives you a chance to get caught up with any students who were absent on the day their journal was collected, or if you happen to miss one or two for some other reason. So on your “unassigned” day – just collect and read those you missed during the week. Using this method, you have an easy way to organize these classroom materials and make reading and responding to journals a snap!

Original copyright 2007 +Irene Taylor.  Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Planning an Author Visit to Your Classroom

 

What could be more exciting for you, the new teacher, than having a "real live author" visit your classroom. Here's how to plan and prepare for an author visit.

Author Lisa Ard visits a class in Beaverton, OR - Lisa Ard

All teachers want their students to be good readers and good writers. But, as a new  teacher, have you given any thought to where all of those words in all those the books your students are reading came from? Have they? When you teach a new book to your class, do you make the connection between the words and the real true person who wrote them?

When you teach writing to your class, do you draw parallels between the words they write and the process they go through and the way published authors work - for in most cases, that process is very similar.

The possibilities for author visits abound, and some can even be arranged via higher tech options such as Skype and virtual author visits - thus opening your visit up to authors who are not in your local area - or even in the same country!

But, planning for an author visit is vital to its success. Here are some ways to make that visit meaningful for your students and a pleasure for your visiting author, too. There are many things to consider when deciding on an author. Do your students have a favorite author? Do you know of a local author who would love to talk with your class? Are you at a loss when thinking of the right person, and can use some help deciding?

In order to get some "real author" input, I was lucky to have a virtual visit with Lisa Ard, a Portland-based children's author who is also an experienced visiting author. Lisa does free author visits in the Portland area, and can also visit your class via Skype.

Lisa was willing to share some of her planning ideas with me - and now, with you:

"How do you go about setting up an author visit? First, you need to find an author. There are many websites and organizations that list authors who visit schools and I’ve included a list to get you started [see below]. You may also google ‘author visits’ for your area or ask your co-workers if they have a contact. Find the author’s website or school visit information. Consider these points when narrowing down your list:

• Choose an author that writes for the audience you teach (i.e. middle grade for elementary grades). Kids will be more excited by an author visit if they’ve read his/her books. Plus, authors want to meet their audience.
• Find out what types of visits they offer: in person or via skype; classroom or auditorium visits; Q&A or something meatier, like a writing workshop
• Your budget. Many authors charge for their visits.
• Availability and schedule"
  

Of course, once you've decided on an author - the next part is actually arranging for the visit. Will this be an in-person visit, a virtual visit or one done via technology like Skype? Your budget may dictate your choice, but all of these are all great ways to bring an author into your classroom.

After you've set the date, Lisa offers some additional tips to get ready:

"Now that you’ve found an author, made contact, and agreed on a date, it’s up to you to  make this visit a success – for you, the kids, and the author. Prepare the class or school using some or all of these tips:

• Advertise, advertise, advertise! Make sure every kid and every family knows an author is  coming to school. Write it up in the school newspaper. Send home e-mail announcements.
•  Put a poster up at school. Let the local paper know; they may show up to take pictures. Authors love publicity and kids do too!
• Read the author’s book in class. Have the kids prepare book reports, questions for the  authors, draw artwork to go along with the story… this extra activity builds excitement  around the author visit.
• Ask the author how you can help with book orders. Send home order forms. E-mail buy links for the author’s books. 
• Arrange a book signing after the visit. Kids love autographs and  owning a book all their own. And frankly, authors need this support from schools.
• After the visit, have the kids write thank you letters. Reading through readers’  letters  inspires authors to keep writing. Plus, it’s teaching good manners. If you and your class  enjoyed the visit, tell all your teacher and librarian friends. Help the author find more  school visits."

Now it is up to you - talk to your students and colleagues, plan your visit and have a
great time!

For more on arranging author visits, see the following resources:

• Lisa Ard is the author of the Dream Seeker series (ages 7-10) and the award-winning Saving Halloween (ages 9-12).
• My Little Bookcase Challenge: Meet an Author
• Authors by State
• Reading Rockets Video Book Interviews
• Skype an Author
• To read more about preparation ideas, look through Dan Gutman’s article The Perfect Author Visit.
  

Original copyright 2012 +Irene Taylor. Permission to republish  in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Carschooling - Tips for Parents and Homeschoolers

Carschooling by Diane Flynn Keith

Title: Carschooling 
Author: Diane Flynn Keith
Genre: Homeschooling, Teaching, Parenting Advice 
Publisher: Homefires, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: 2009 
eBook: Available in paperback
Pages: 360

Have you ever counted license plates with your children, or practiced spelling words while you were driving to and from various appointments, soccer games, or friends’ houses? If so, you were engaging in a form of carschooling, a new way to make the most of those hours you spend driving around with your kids.

Diane Flynn Keith’s book, Carschooling, takes everyday car-related activities to a new level. Why not make the most of those hours spent in the car and give your child a carschool education while you are driving?

What is Carschooling?

I spoke with Diane Keith to get her perspective on her unique approach to learning. When asked, “What is carschooling,” Ms. Keith replied:

“Carschooling is the act of turning travel time into fun and engaging learning time.”

Carschooling is a great book for all parents – the homeschooler and the traditional schooler alike. It is divided into subject sections, each describing a variety of activities that parents can do with children while they are riding in the car. Games and activities are included for ages 4 though 17, and examples of age-appropriate “carschool curricula” are given at the start of the book.

But how did Diane Keith come up with the idea? She told me:

“My kids and I spent a lot of time in the car commuting to classes, field trips, the library, friends’ homes, the park, sporting events, enrichment activities – and running everyday errands. Sometimes, when my kids got bored they’d whine or complain. To calm them, I’d play an audio book or music. That almost always led to interesting discussions and it was clear they wanted to learn more. 

I began to search for activities, games, and resources we could use in the car to boost their knowledge of the world.  Because we homeschooled, I looked for resources that would help my children learn language arts, math, science, geography, history, social studies, and more.  I asked other parents what they did in the car to pass the time and tried their suggestions.  Over time, I realized we weren’t just homeschooling – we were learning on the road or ‘carschooling.’ Eventually, I compiled all of the ingenious ideas and fun resources into my book, ‘Carschooling’.”

Ms. Keith also addresses common and practical concerns such as car sickness, items needed to successfully carschool, organizational materials, and even which types of vehicles are more conducive to this unique educational method.

Car Games and Activities

Carschooling includes activities for all subjects typically required by national school curricula, from science and math to visual and performing arts, and even health and physical education. Ms. Keith also includes activities for “electives” such as current events, economics, and driver’s education and even some for “recess.”

Especially helpful at the start of each section is the list of subject area-specific tools needed to enhance the activities. For example, resources for the science section include such handy items as binoculars, cameras and film, rubber gloves, a journal, and the Periodic Table of Elements. Each section has similar suggestions that are specific to the subject area.

Rest Stop Olympics, How Do They Make That?, The Car Mechanic’s Cat, and Skeleton Hokey Pokey are just a few of the over 350 activities included. All are appropriate for use in the car, but many can also be adapted to other forms of travel, or just for some backyard fun.

Perhaps what is best about using Carschooling’s methods are the benefits for both parents and children. When asked, “What is the most important thing you’d want parents to know about using this method with their children? What are the benefits of using it?,” Ms. Keith replied:

“Carschooling not only makes your kids smarter, it improves your relationship with your children. Playing fun and interactive educational games in the car together, or having earnest discussions about provocative issues of the day, improves communication, builds trust and good will, and bonds families together in profound and heartfelt ways.”

Learning Resources for Parents

Ms. Keith includes a robust list of resources that parents can use to expand upon the ideas presented in the book. Many additional ideas are found at the Carschooling site as well.

Here are some of the Carschooling success stories that Ms. Keith recounted.

“The book is chock-full of stories from parents who have successfully used time spent in the car to engage their children in learning about every subject through fun games and innovative resources.  

One of my favorite stories is from the Hunt Family. On a 6-week long car trip they used a ‘Memory Box’ to help the kids record a history of their trip and instill an understanding of historical artifacts.  Each child had a shoebox and at each stop along the way, they were encouraged to find an item to put into their box as a reminder of the place they visited.

Each box contained a mishmash of items including rocks and feathers found along the way, as well as postcards purchased at souvenir stores. The children spent hours reviewing the contents and talking about each item. When they got home they considered burying the boxes, imagining an archaeologist in the distant future excavating their yard and discovering the priceless artifacts from their trip.”

Ms. Keith’s advice for parents using Carschooling:

“When using the games in ‘Carschooling’ remember these guidelines:

1. Games and activities are supposed to be fun for everyone.  Learning happens when it is desired by the learner. So don’t force it. If you’re not having fun, move on to something else.
2. Keep the rules to games as flexible as possible. It’s okay to change them to accommodate your children’s needs, interests, and imaginations.
3. Some children are comfortable with competitive games; others are not. Remember that competitive games can be turned into cooperative games by having everyone do the activity together. Set a goal within a specific time frame, and once it is achieved – everyone wins or gets a treat.

Encourage learning while building self-confidence in a fun and affirming way. Be on your kids’ side and recognize their accomplishments. When children experience success, it will motivate them to learn more. Above all, have fun learning in the car with your family.”

All in all, Carschooling is a great resource for parents looking to expand their children’s educational opportunities while making time spent driving around in the car both rewarding and productive.

Diane Flynn Keith is also the author of Papa's Pearls, winner of the Dan Poynter Global ebook Gold Award in the Parenting and Family Non-Fiction category.

Sources

Keith, Diane Flynn. Carschooling. (2009). Homefires.
Email interview with Diane Keith. (2013).

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish  in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Teach Your Students to Find their Inner Editors

 

With the rapid increase in minimally edited ebooks, teachers have a golden opportunity to teach real-time editing skills to their students. The world is rapidly filling up with ebooks - some great, some less than that, and many that are in sore need of an editor.

The next time you are previewing an ebook (or any book for that matter) for use with your class - instead of being put off by grammatical, usage or formatting errors - which can be rampant in today's glut of ebooks - turn this into a great hands-on, real life teaching and learning opportunity for you and your students. Have your students become the editors - ferreting out errors and discussing solutions for them.

Red Pen image by JJR

 Take for example a book where you notice many instances of possessive versus plural misuse. The rules for plurals are fairly simple:

1. The plural form of a noun indicates that there is more than one person, place or thing being referred to.
2. Generally, plurals are formed by added -s or -es to the word as in cat, cats; girl, girls; box, boxes.
3. Some words that end with a -y form their plural by changing the -y to -i and adding -es as in lady, ladies; city, cities; baby, babies.
4. There are also some irregular forms and exceptions that you can look up.
   

In contrast - possessive form indicates that the noun owns "something" and the apostrophe is used to for possessives:

1. Add -'s to the singular form of the word (even if it ends in -s) as in boy's hat; cat's food; book's pages.
2. Add -'s to the plural forms that do not end in -s as in children's books; men's hats.
3. Add just an apostrophe to the end of plural nouns that end in -s as in three dogs' bones; five boys' boots; several elephants' trunks.
4. Again, there are some additional apostrophe rules that you can look up.
   

One of the more common editing errors that students may find is the confusion as to when to use plural form, and when to use an apostrophe. To help make it clear, I usually tell my students to think of the apostrophe as a leash - joining the noun with that it owns. Here's an example:
The girl has a new blue dress. She owns the dress, so the correct form is:

The girl's new dress is blue. You use the possessive form here because the girl owns the dress.

Girl's is NOT plural - yet many times you will see this:

Three girl's went shopping. This is incorrect since girl's indicates one girl who owns something. In this sentence, the plural form is needed - not the possessive.

Using this example, if you find a book that contains many errors like this - set your students free to note where these types of errors occur, and how to correct them. Try to limit the 'hunt" for just one or two types of errors at a time to focus the lessons tightly.

Once students have had a chance to read and note corrections, hold a class meeting to review and discuss the possible changes.
This type of lesson will work with many different proofreading and editing topics. Think of what you have been teaching and set students loose to find examples that will supplement their instruction. Perhaps you have been studying punctuation in dialog, or correct capitalization, or confusing word usage. All of these are great topics to use for a lesson such as this. Ebooks seem to work best, as often they are only lightly edited, if at all, thus providing many examples for students to find.

This activity can also be used for practice in pure editing rather than in proofing text. Challenge students to find and rework passages with an emphasis on using more colorful language or to make generic passages clearer. Of course, students should never actually alter any of the author's work - time for a lesson on copyright and plagiarism - but creating their own phrases and descriptions from a given passage is good practice.

Don't let a poorly edited, but otherwise excellent story put you off. Show students that even "real" writers need editors, and set them on the path to releasing their own inner editors as they read.

References and Resources:

• Purdue Online Writing Lab
• Grammar Topics
• How to Use Proper Punctuation When Writing Dialog
• An example: Skye Rising: The Spirit Agreement
  

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor.  Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Topics for Persuasive Speeches: Help for New Teachers

Speeches can be challenging. These lesson ideas teach students elements of a good speech, and how to brainstorm good persuasive speech topics, build confidence and practice critical thinking skills.

Teaching students how to give an effective speech is a part of many middle and upper grade curriculums, but this skill may be difficult for new teachers, especially if they haven't had much training in how to give an effective speech. New teachers can use the persuasive speech to teach students to overcome fear of public speaking, to think critically, and to find good persuasive speech topics to share with the class. Follow these steps to help students learn how to give an effective persuasive speech.

Topics for Persuasive Speeches

Students in middle school are ready for the challenges of learning to deliver a persuasive speech. Students in these grades have a lot on their minds, and they often want to convey these ideas to others in an effort to influence parents, teachers and peers to “see things their way.”
Introduce this lesson with a discussion and brainstorming session. List topics students feel strongly about that would make good speech topics. Some are:

• Food in the school cafeteria
• Curfews
• Homework
• Allowances
• Favorites – book, movie, rock star
  

Teacher Speech Demonstration With Example Speech

Once students have a list of possible persuasive speech topics, it is then time for a discussion on how to give a good speech. Teachers should lead a discussion about characteristics of a good public speaker and then model good speaking for students. A “what makes a good speaker demonstration” is in order, with the teacher modeling both an effective speech and one that is less well presented.

Characteristics of a Good Public Speaker

After the teacher models each example speech, have students create a list of what the teacher did well, or not so well, in each. In this exercise, emphasis should be on the way the teacher delivered the speech, not the content. Help students to generate a list of effective speech components including:

• making eye contact with audience
• speaking clearly and being easily understood
• presenting ideas in an organized and well thought out manner
• speaking loudly without mumbling or stammering
• engaging the audience
• including a good introduction, middle and ending to the speech
  

How to Write a Persuasive Speech

Next, have students select a topic from the brainstormed list. Help them outline their topics. Be sure to discuss two important details that need to be included in any persuasive speech outline – the need to be aware of both points of view on the given topic, and the need to use reasons supported by facts to convince the audience. Opinions may be strong, but they can’t be the basis for a good persuasive argument.

While students may not need actually state the opposing point of view, they do need to think about that so that they can create viable reasons for their own ideas. For example, if students are trying to persuade a teacher not to give homework, they need to think of why homework is given and what teachers use it for, and offer alternatives that teachers might use to meet those needs.

Be a Good Audience

Model giving and receiving constructive feedback by allowing students to critique the teacher’s speech first. Talk with the class about being a good audience. Just as speakers need to make eye contact, good listeners make eye contact with the speaker as well. They should be attentive and respectful of the speaker at all times.
Stress good listening skills and positive ways to give feedback. Teach students the cardinal rule for offering constructive feedback: say something nice first, before offering any kind of critique.

Students Give Speeches and Critique Each Other

Once students have completed their outlines, have them begin to practice their speeches. Encourage the use of note cards, but do not allow students to “read” from a prepared text of the speech.

Have students work in pairs to fine-tune both their arguments and their speech making skills. Each student in the pair can use a rubric of sorts to give his partner feedback. Some questions to consider:

• Did the speaker make eye contact?
• Did the speaker speak clearly?
• Did the speaker speak loudly?
• Did the speech have a good beginning, middle and end?
• Were ideas presented in a clearly understood manner?
• Was an opposing point of view considered?
• Was the speech convincing?
  

Once students feel confident, have them present their short speeches to the class.

A public speaking class for kids is an important part of any middle grade curriculum. Teach students the elements of a good speech, help them brainstorm good persuasive speech ideas and guide them in the delivery of the speech. Use a rubric to give feedback and help students improve as they practice public speaking in school.

Copyright 2012. Original copyright 2009 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish  in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching...

All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching - Katrina Ayres

...and How You Can Avoid Doing It, Too, by Katrina Ayres.

OK - those of us who have been teaching for a while can remember plenty of mistakes we made when we were starting out - all in the name of our inexperience, our excitement and our commitment to our new careers. Even brand new teachers have had enough time in the classroom by the time they have their own students - student teaching, practicums, subbing - to remember a few less than successful moves.

Veteran teacher Katrina Ayres has taken the mistakes she made during her first year of teaching and turned them into a humorous look at all of the ways good teachers can go wrong. All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching...and How You Can Avoid Doing It, Too is open and honest - a quick read that is very enjoyable and not the least bit "preachy"!

Ayres recounts many of her first-year experiences while she was teaching in a school in rural Hawaii on the island of Molokai. What makes this book a great resource is that Ayres not only recounts humorous - and familiar - mistakes, she also includes advice for the new teacher on how to avoid making the same ones. At the end of each chapter, she addresses her "new teacher self" with great tips offered through the lens of an experience.

Ayres conquers many things that the overzealous new teacher may encounter - from overplanning and concentrating more on the glitz than the substance - to discipline, student boredom and the infamous "W" word (how to tell students that they are wrong).

One theme that runs throughout the book is the focus on teaching rather than on the trappings of teaching. Ayres remembers how easily new teachers can be blinded by the creation of beautiful materials, and lose sight of the fact that real teaching involves actual teaching. The message: new teachers should not spend their precious time focusing in all of the cute and pretty materials that aren't essential to the lesson at hand.

She talks about how to keep your "teacher cred," how to handle the overwhelming amount of planning time new teachers face, how to work with colleagues, and the ever-unpredictable nature of kids - especially in school. Ever-appreciative of the help she got along the way, Ayres remembers and thanks the many colleagues, friends and students who helped her out along the way - offering help, guidance, support and as Ayres says, "picked me up, dusted me off, patched me up, and gave me the tools I needed to succeed..."

All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching is an excellent resource for the new teacher, and a fun read for us veterans as well. Read it, laugh, and learn. I'm betting you'll see yourself in many of the situations Ayres describes - and appreciate her candid advice on how to do better the next time.

All the Ways I Screwed Up My First Year of Teaching is available in many eBook formats at
Smashwords, and in paperback at Createspace.

Katrina Ayres has created videos, webinars, and books to help teachers become better at what they do. She can be reached through her website, Positive Teaching Strategies.

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Originally published on December 2, 2012. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Winter Scavenger Hunt

 How many types of snow crystals are there?  What does “winter” mean?  What are your favorite winter holidays?  Here’s a fun way to spend those chilly wintertime evenings - take your students on a winter scavenger hunt.

First, create a list of questions relating to the season of winter.  Include questions which are not easily answered and may require a little “digging.”  Here are some to consider:

• When does winter begin this year?
• How long does winter last?
• What is the “scientific name” for the start of winter?
• Why has the beginning of winter been a time for celebration in many cultures?
• What wintertime constellation is know as the Hunter?
• Where was the deepest one day snowfall?
• From what were the first known skis made? How old are they?
• Where were the first snowmaking machines used?
• Find some famous people who were born during winter.
• Which Apollo moon mission was launched on the first day of winter?
• What is a blizzard?  When was the first “unofficial “ blizzard recorded?
• What is the origin of the Yule log?
• Find five facts about Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Years Day.
• What star signaled the start of winter by the ancient Persians?
• What famous store opened its first “hypermart” in Texas in December 1987?

Now turn your child loose with encyclopedias, books or at the library to search out the answers to your scavenger hunt questions.  Have fun and keep warm while learning about this frosty season!!

This idea may be adapted to help your child study for a test.  Make up a list of questions related to the subject your child is studying.  Give him 15-20 minutes to locate the answers in his textbook, and then share them as a good review of the subject matter.

For answers - see the answer key.

Original copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Classroom Fun in February

February is the shortest month of the year, but a month that is packed with many learning opportunities. Enjoy these different activities and have some fun in February!

Groundhog Day - February 2 is Groundhog Day. This is the day we set aside to "decide" whether Spring is almost here, of if there will be six more weeks of Winter. The official groundhog in the United States is Punxsutawney Phil. Every year he is brought out of his groundhog hole in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to make a prediction about Winter's end. Keeping track of Phil's predictions and making a few of your own are fun early February projects. See The Groundhog Party for some fun activities and information.

Black History Month - February is designated as Black History Month. This is a good time to make your students familiar with some famous Black Americans. Have students research a famous Black American and prepare a short talk on his or her life and achievements. Students should also create a poster or drawing to display. Start early so that you can have one or two students give talks throughout the month. After each talk, post the accompanying visual on a Black History Month bulletin Board display.

Some famous Black Americans students may want to research are Ronald McNair, Rosa Parks, Jesse Owens, Marian Anderson, Langston Hughes, Oprah Winfrey, and of course, our President and his famous wife, Barak and Michelle Obama, among many others. Find more ideas at Lessons to Celebrate Black History Month.

Valentine's Day - Valentine's Day is a great holiday to celebrate in school. Use this day of love to promote getting along with others, thoughtfulness and letter writing. See Valentine's Day: Doesn't anyone write letters anymore? for some ideas on teaching letter writing at Valentine's Day.

President's Day is another great February holiday. Find some ideas for celebrating this day at The Presidents' Day Page, The Presidents' Day Quiz page, or at take part in a Presidents' Day Project.

Another fun February activity is Dental Health Month. Find other things for your class to celebrate any day in February at Today in History.

February may be a short month, but it is packed with events, so get out there and enjoy some February Fun!

Original copyright 2001 +Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by Irene Taylor in writing.

How to Plan an Author Visit to your Classroom

Hosting an author visit is a great way to promote both reading and writing in your classroom. A properly planned and implemented author visit allows students to meet and talk with a favorite author and learn about writing for a real audience.

The possibilities for author visits abound, and some can even be arranged via higher tech options such as Skype and virtual author visits - thus opening your visit up to authors who are not in your local area - or even in the same country!

Advance planning for an author visit is vital to its success. There are many things to consider when deciding on an author. Do your students have a favorite author? Do you know of a local author who would love to talk with your class? Are you at a loss when thinking of the right person, and can use some help deciding?

Author Lisa Ard, children's book author, shared some tips for planning a successful author visit. Lisa is the author of the Dream Seeker series (ages 7-10) and the award-winning Saving Halloween (ages 9-12). Based in Portland, Oregon, Lisa offers free author visits to area schools. She also does virtual visits via Skype.

Read more about how to plan an author visit...


Copyright 2012 +Irene Taylor.

Little Book Adventure: Discover New Places to Read

This month's Little Book Adventure Challenge, Discover New Places to Read, takes reading to a whole new level - literally!

Sure - we've all curled up on a comfy couch or propped ourselves up on pillows in bed to read our favorite books. How many remember reading with a flashlight under the covers late at night when you were supposed to be asleep?

Well, this month, My Little Bookshelf challenges readers to explore and discover new places to read - alone, or with a parent or friend. Be creative - maybe you like to read on your favorite swing, or on your boat, or even in the car on the way to school.

Parents and teachers - challenge your children to think of new and unique places to read and be read to. Make a list, a chart, or just talk about them and try them out.

My Little Bookcase offers a few ideas to get you started:

• Read in a tree
• Have a reading picnic outside
• Read in a makeshift tent

To enter your idea in the challenge, simply visit the Project Page and follow the directions for submitting a photo. This challenge is open to all Australian residents through November 30, but readers around the world can have fun with this project as well.

So, get off that couch, out of that bed, and discover some new and unique places to read!

Copyright 2012 +Irene Taylor. Permission to republish Little Book Adventure: Discover New Places to Read in print or online must be granted by Irene Taylor in writing.

NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program

 Adult writers have been doing NaNoWriMo for years - the annual National Novel Writing Month  - held annually during the month of November. Since it began in 1999, writers have taken on the challenge of writing 50,000-word novels starting each November 1. Writers track their word count online, and while planning and research can be done ahead of time, all writing must actually be done between November 1 and November 30.

In 2005, NaNoWriMo started its Young Writers Program for younger writers and for teachers who wanted to bring this unique writing challenge to their classrooms. The NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program is open is anyone who is age 17 and under - whether they are participating on their own or in a teacher-led K-12 program. Participants in the YWP and their teachers can set realistic word count goals that are age and ability appropriate, and there is also a handy Word Count calculator to use as a guide. Students can even write in teams or with partners. Individual writers ages 13 and over can also register to write 50,000-word novels, just like at the adult site.

According to the Young Writers Program website:

"In 2011, the Young Writers Program counted:

• 1,800 participating classrooms
• 50,000 registered writers and educators
• 81,000 total reach (comprising classroom participants + independent users)

In 2012, NaNoWriMo and the Young Writers Program expect to welcome over 300,000 authors writing novels in November."

The YWP website has resources for both writers and teachers. Lesson plans, workbooks, and discussion forums for support can all be found, was well as Pep Talks by well-known authors, web badges and flyers to promote the program. There are four downloadable curriculum guides covering grades K-12. Classroom Kits can also be ordered - one free for each teacher who is participating.

NaNoWriMo YWP is a great teaching tool for bringing real writing into the classroom. Focusing on writing a novel in a month gives students a real reason to write, and gives teachers great opportunities for teaching a host of writing skills to their students.

Once done - teachers can also look into publishing student work. CreateSpace and Figment are partnering with NaNoWriMo YWP to enable publication of student novels.

So, even though time is short to sign up - if you aren't familiar with NaNoWriMo - be sure to check it out and get your students involved in a great, and authentic, writing opportunity.

Original copyright 2012 +Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by Irene Taylor in writing.

Little Book Adventure: Explore the World Through Picture Books

The My Little Bookcase Project # 8 for the month of October is Explore the World Through Picture Books - a great project that combines geography, art, music and reading wonderful picture books. In this challenge, readers are encouraged to make a Discovery Box based on a favorite "around the world" picture book.

Children should choose books that are set in locations other than where they live. Here are three to get you started:

The Cat Who Walked Across France, by Katie Banks
The Legend of the Poinsettia, by Tomie de Paola
Traveling Tom and the Leprechaun, by Teresa Bateman

Once you have settled on a picture book, do some research to find the location and some famous landmarks. Readers can put many different things in their Discovery Boxes including maps, objects that might represent souvenirs, art activities, music of the chosen country, pictures of flags, currency and much more. The My Little Bookcase site has some great suggestions on things to include.

Younger students, or homeschooled students can work on a group box; older readers can each make their own to present to their class.

This is a great project to help students expand their knowledge. Using picture books will help to set the stage for readers of all abilities, and make great jumping off points for learning about the world.

Be creative and make a Discovery Box of your own!

Copyright 2012 Irene Taylor.All rights reserved.

Quick Tips for Teachers: Thanksgiving Math Activity

Ah, fall - it is in full swing in some places, with Halloween and Thanksgiving just around the corner. Thanksgiving is a great time to give your students some lessons on being good consumers. Try this fun comparison shopping activity.

Prepare for this activity by gathering Thanksgiving advertisement pages from various food stores in your area.  Discuss with students items which might be included on a typical Thanksgiving dinner menu. Agree, as a class, on a set of basic dinner elements that each group will be "shopping" for.

Give each group of students the advertisement flyers from 3 or 4 different stores. Have students work with their groups to calculate the cost of the basic Thanksgiving dinner items using the prices advertised by each store.

Next, have students create charts to display their data.  Groups should report their findings to the class.  After all data has been presented, determine which store offered the best values.

As a variation on this activity, allow students to include advertised coupon savings in their calculations, and compare how these affect the final costs.

This activity works great for any holiday meal - or a lesson on family finances and meal planning, as well.

Copyright 2012 Irene Taylor.All rights reserved.

Halloween Hangman (for Thanksgiving, too!)

Here's a fun way for students to practice October or November spelling words - play Halloween Hangman. This is a fun game for any holiday, Thanksgiving included!

Students will need their current spelling list,a piece of lined writing paper, and one set of "scarecrow parts" for each pair of students. Play as in regular hangman.

One student chooses a spelling word and draws a number of blanks to represent the number of letters in the word he has chosen on the writing paper. The other student guesses letters in an attempt to guess the spelling word. If the guess is correct, the first student writes the letter in the correct place.

For each incorrect guess,the first student builds the scarecrow on the desk in front of him, adding one scarecrow part until the whole scarecrow has been built.  If the student guesses the word before the scarecrow is complete, he gets to give the next word. If the scarecrow is completed first, he must try to guess another word.

Have students reuse their "scarecrow parts" throughout the game.

Copyright 2012 Irene Taylor. The copyright of the article Halloween Hangman in Teacher Tips and Lesson Plans is owned by Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Presidential Election 2012: The Road to the White House

 The upcoming presidential election in the United States is a great time to have your students brush up on some Election Day facts. The events leading up to the November elections provide many great opportunities for students to learn about the office of the president, the responsibilities of that position, and what it takes to become the president.

Give some of these activities a try to make the Election of 2012 a great learning experience for your students.

The Road to the White House

Brainstorm with your students the steps they think a person would need to take to be elected to the office of the President. Help them to include these steps: declaring as a candidate, winning the nomination, outlining a platform, campaigning, winning the electoral votes, being inaugurated. Next, give each student several 3" x 18" pieces of black construction paper which will be used as the "road." Along this "road" have students use index cards to illustrate each of the steps they have listed as candidates follow the road to the White House.

Can You Be President?

Ask students to make a list of the requirements for becoming the president. Then have them share those ideas and create one class list. Next, share the actual requirements with the class and discuss the similarities and differences between their lists and the actual requirements. You may wish to have students write about why they chose some of the other things that they included on their lists.

Mock Election

Prior to the actual election, hold a mock election in your class or school. Have students nominate classmates for class president, vice president, and any other offices you choose. Have them follow the steps the actual candidates go through, making speeches, getting the nomination, and the actual vote.

Straw Poll

You may also wish to conduct a straw poll of the actual candidates in your school. On Election Day, have students take informal votes in other classes. Tally the votes at the end of the school day, and then compare your results with those of the real election.

Don't Forget to Vote Posters

Help students encourage their parents to vote by having them make "Don't Forget to Vote Posters." On a 12"x18" piece of construction paper, have students create posters detailing the importance of voting. Encourage them to display the posters at home and remind their parents to vote on Election Day.

Electoral College

The concept of the Electoral College is difficult for many voters. Help your students to understand this idea by discussing how actual votes translate into electoral votes, and how that determines who wins the election. Discuss the importance of states that have the largest number of electoral votes, and the strategy the candidates may use while campaigning.

Winning Web Sites 

Use these sites for information and other resources to enchance your study of the election:

The Election: Classroom Activities
Brain Pop: The Presidential Election
Project Vote Smart
Who Elects the President?
The Electoral College
POTUS: President of the United States
The American President
Kids Voting USA
Election Comic Strips

Original copyright 2000 Irene Taylor. The copyright of the article The Road to the White House in Teacher Tips and Lesson Plans is owned by Irene Taylor. This article is reprinted here with the author's permission. Permission to republish The Road to the White House in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.

Little Book Adventure: Create a Book Tableau

The My Little Bookcase challenge for the month of September is a really great one for both families and teachers! This month, the challenge is to Create a Picture Book Tableau - complete with costumes, artwork and photography.

My Little Bookcase defines a tableau as "the motionless staging of a group of costumed people and props to represent a picture or  an idea." In this challenge, readers are invited to choose a favorite picture book, create a scene using real people to duplicate and/or illustrate the book cover, take a photo of the tableau and upload it to the My Little Bookcase Facebook page.

Three prizes - copies of A Family of Readers - will be awarded to Australian entrants - but even if you aren't eligible for a prize, this is a great activity to use at home or in school.

This activity has many possibilities for in-school use. Teachers may want to break the class into small groups and have each group select a book, brainstorm ideas, and create a tableau; or it could be a whole-class project as well. Tableaus could be presented to other classes or at a small grade level assembly to spark interest in the chosen great books. Older students could participate as well by creating tableaus illustrating chapters of a longer book - or cover tableaus could be created as well. School or public librarians might want to use this as a library activity to promote a book of the month or a genre of favorite books school or library-wide.

There are many suggestions for how to complete this challenge at the Create a Picture Book Tableau website. Whether you enter to win a prize, or just use this as an activity in your home school, preschool or classroom - it will give your children a new and different way to think about favorite books.

Just remember, all entries must be received by 9pm (AEDT) on September 30, 2012 to be eligible.

Original copyright 2012 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish Little Book Adventure: Create a Book Tableau in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.