Free Teacher Joke - "A Gift For Teacher"

It was the day before the Winter Break, and a kindergarten teacher was receiving gifts from her pupils.
The florist's son handed her a gift. She shook it, held it overhead, and said, "I bet I know what it is. Some flowers." "
That's right" the boy said, "but how did you know?"
"Oh, just a wild guess," she said.
The next pupil was the candy shop owner's daughter.
The teacher held her gift overhead, shook it, and said, "I bet I can guess what it is. A box of sweets."
"That's right, but how did you know?" asked the girl.
"Oh, just a wild guess," said the teacher.
The next gift was from the son of the liquor store owner. The teacher held the package overhead, but it was leaking. She touched a drop of the leakage with her finger and touched it to her tongue.
"Is it wine?" she asked.
"No," the boy replied, with some excitement.
The teacher repeated the process, taking a larger drop of the leakage to her tongue.
"Is it champagne?" she asked.
"No," the boy replied, with more excitement.
The teacher took one more taste before declaring, "I give up, what is it?"
With great glee, the boy replied, "It's a puppy!"

Free Teacher Lesson Plan - "Snow Melting"

Subject - Science, Math Grade Level - PreKindergarten to 2nd grade

Objectives:

To get a brief understanding of the thermometer.

To get an understanding of liquid and solids.
You have to do this when it is snowing. I plan this

activity with the first snowfall of the year.

Equipment:

A glass

A thermometer

Snow.

Procedure:

Take the children outside and fill the glass with snow. Place the thermometer in the glass and show them what the temperature is. Take the children and the glass back inside and have them sit in a circle with the glass in the middle. While they are sitting in the circle explain briefly about the melting and freezing point. After about 5 minutes the snow should have melted. Let them observe how the snow has changed and the new temperature. If it is in the summer and you want to do this activity you can use crushed ice instead of snow. (Ice cubes take too long to melt)

Follow-up activity:

Have a talk about how you can change other solids into liquid by heating.

*******

If you live in an area where it doesn't snow, here's a fun, non-toxic chemical which is a treat for kids of all ages. Click on this link.

Free Parent Involvement Activity - K-3rd Grades - "What if...?"

Creative Writing, Story & Character Development

Classic stories (or films) are often so cherished that it can seem a crime to alter them in any way. However, tinkering with these revered tales by posing new scenarios, plot twists, or an alternate ending is a wonderful way to inspire your child's natural creativity.

What would happen if a certain little monkey flew away with the kite and landed back in Africa instead of being rescued by his friend? What would happen if the yellow brick road ended at your home and there was a knock at the door? If you could travel back in time by way of a whirling treehouse, where would it take you?

Your child can simply talk about the possibilities, or write them down to create the story's new version, ending, or epilogue.

Source: Bright and Beyond, Smart & Simple Activities to do with your Child, Writing, Grades K-3rd, Ages 5-9. Available at Schoodoodle.com.

Free Parent Involvement Activity - Preschool - "Tinted Paper Towel Creations"

Creativity, Observation & Discovery, Motor Skills - Ages 3-5

Cut a paper towel into a simple shape (such as a kite, balloon, or flower) and place it in a shallow tray. Help your child squeeze three or four drops of food coloring onto the shape and then let her pour about 1/4 cup of water onto the tray.

Encourage her to gently rock the tray back and forth so that the paper towel shape becomes completely moistened. The food coloring will bleed across the shape, resulting in a pretty multi-hued creation. (Try pairing red and yellow food coloring to create orange; blue and yellow to create green; or red and blue to create purple.) Place the shape onto wax paper to dry.

If you wish, and if the shape calls for it, display it with some yarn or ribbon attached, or a construction paper stem, etc.

Caution: Always use non-toxic materials!

Source: Bright and Beyond, Smart & Simple Activities to do with your Child, Preschool, Ages 3-5. Available at SchooDoodle.com.

Consider a Donation to Gifts In Kind International

Fall is here, and that means planning for the holiday season. As you make your holiday purchases, please consider a donation to Gifts In Kind International.

Your donations go to local charities that help people in need get through the winter months, and allow low-income parents to celebrate with their children.

Remember, you receive many benefits by making such a donation. To help support these efforts, please make a donation online, or contact Doyle Delph at 703. 299.7532 or ddelph@giftsinkind.org.

Chicago School Supply Supports Teacher Tax Relief

Chicago School Supply, and fellow members of the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA), support expanding the educator tax deduction to give relief to the teachers and education support professionals who reach into their own pockets to ensure that classrooms have the necessary classroom supplies.

According to a recent NSSEA study, 93% of teachers spend their own money on school supplies for their classrooms. Of that money, 72% is spent on extra-curricular instructional materials.

On average, the total amount spent annually is in excess of $500 with over 7% of the teachers surveyed spending more than $1,000 each year.

Read more about NSSEA’s effort to support teachers and what you can do to get help.

Music Programs Takes A Back Seat To Math and Reading Curriculum

Music education has taken a hit in the era of No Child Left Behind, a federal law that focuses on math and reading: 16% of schools have cut back on art and music programs since 2003, says a report released in July by the non-profit Center on Education Policy.

Yet a Harris Interactive Poll of 2,565 adults being released today shows that 88% of those with postgraduate degrees and 83% of those with annual incomes of $150,000 or more had music education.

The findings don't suggest a causal relationship. But in tandem with other research, "we can probably say that music education is a tool to not only get students to stay in school but to continue," a Harris report says.

Source: USA Today

Final Report of 'National Assessment of Title I' Is Released

The Department of Education submitted to Congress the final report of the "National Assessment of Title I."

This two-volume study presents findings from the implementation and impact of the program. Volume I contains key findings on the implementation of the program under No Child Left Behind, and Volume II presents a report on follow-up findings from Closing the Reading Gap, an evaluation of the impact of supplemental remedial reading programs on achievement of 3rd and 5th grade students.

Findings include:

Title I Funding. After adjusting for inflation, funding for Title I, Part A has increased by 35% over the previous seven years, from $9.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2000 to $12.8 billion in Fiscal Year 2007. More than three-fourths of Title I funds went to high-poverty schools and school districts. However, the highest-poverty schools received smaller Title I allocations per low-income student compared with lower-poverty schools.

Student Achievement. In states that had three-year trend data available on their state assessments, the percentage of students achieving at or above the state's proficient level rose for most student subgroups in a majority of states. Also, both National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and state assessments results indicate that the achievement gaps between disadvantaged students and other students may be narrowing. However, at present pace, most states would not meet the goal of 100% proficiency by 2013-14.

Implementation of State Assessment Systems. During the 2005-06 academic year, all states administered assessments intended to meet No Child Left Behind requirements for reading and math. Further, as of this fall, 24 state assessment systems had been approved through the Department's peer review process, eight were designated as "approval expected," and 20 were as designated "approval pending".

Accountability and Support for School Improvement. During the 2004-05 academic year, 75% of schools and districts met all applicable Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets. (Schools most often missed AYP for the "all students" group and/or for multiple subgroups, rather than single subgroups.) On the other hand, 18% of Title I schools were identified as in need of improvement.

School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services (SES). Although still low, the number of students opting for public school choice doubled over the three-year period from 2002-03 to 2004-05. SES participation increased ten-fold over the same period.

For more information, click on “Volume I: Implementation” and “Volume II: Closing The Reading Gap” to view the entire reports.

Sources: Fritzwire and The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance

Teen Talk:Difficult Conversations with Your Teenager

Dear Parent,

Sex, Drugs, STDs, HIV, AIDS are all subjects that most parents have difficulty bringing up with their kids. Think back to when you were a child. Who told you about sex? Was it a friend? Was it your mom or dad? If so how did they handle it and what information did you receive? Was this information accurate? Or did you learn about it on your own as you were experiencing your first relationship? What was your religious upbringing? Were you told that sex was dirty or natural? Were you told to wait until marriage? Or did your mom bring you to the doctor and to have you put on birth control? Or did your dad hand you condoms and pat you on the back? Our own teenage experiences often have a great impact on our parenting. We may agree or disagree with our parents on how these subjects were presented or ignored. So before you venture into these difficult conversations with your child or teen,

#1 Get clear about your own morals and values.

How do you feel about 16 year olds having sex? And what is the difference between that and 18 year olds?

What do you think about kids smoking marijuana?

What do you think about underage drinking? 18, 19 or 20 year olds? When is it okay? When is it not?



#2 Educate yourself about the issues you want to discuss with your kids.

Get on the internet and bring up articles about current trends for youth. Make sure that you have the most up to date information about the areas that you are focusing on. Remember, not only are you providing parental guidance but you are also passing along knowledge that your child will need to make thoughtful and appropriate decisions about his or her emotional and physical health.

Get savvy with their language. (Kids don’t call marijuana “pot” anymore.)

Do you know what the following are? If not, look them up!

*DXM, Syrup heads, Dexing, Triple, Special K, Crank, Antifreeze, Crunk, Snow, X, Georgia Home Boy, Roofies, Kibbles and bits, Cheese, Candy flipping*


#3 Make Time to Talk To Your Child

Once you know what you want to talk about and have done your research it is time to If you are nervous or anxious about having this conversation, acknowledge this. “This is really hard and uncomfortable for me to speak with you about, but I am your parent and I need to talk with you about…” Be prepared that your child may react negatively to you or say that they “already know all that…” Proceed anyway. Give your child printed information or websites to back up what you are saying. If your child argues with you, tell him/her that you would be glad to hear what s/he has to say, but first s/he must research the topic and present it to you just like you did.

Don’t wait too long to have these conversations. Kids are experimenting with sex and drugs earlier and earlier. The younger you start the easier it will be to continue bringing it up. A great conversation starter might be after you and your child have seen a movie with sex or drugs being part of the content. “What did you think about that movie? What did you think about the choices that Josie made? What would you have done? Do you have any questions about anything that you saw?”

If your child ignores you or doesn’t want to talk about it don’t give up. Keep looking for opportunities to bring up those uncomfortable issues. Soon you will notice that it isn’t so awkward after all!

Free Teacher Quote - "Going Forward"

If you don't go after what you want,

you'll never have it.

If you don't ask, the answer is always no.

If you don't step forward,

you're always in the same place.

Quote by: Nora Roberts

Free Teacher Joke - "Mom Has Stats"

Little Eric and his mother were out and about. Little Eric, out of the blue, asked his mother, "Mommy, how old are you?" His mother responded, "Honey, women don't talk about their age. You'll learn this as you get older."

Little Eric then asked, "Mommy, how much do you weight?" His mother responded again, "That's another thing women don't talk about. You'll learn this too, as you grow up." Little Eric still wanting to know about his mother, then fires off another question, "Mommy, why did you and Daddy get a divorce?" His mother, a little annoyed by the questions, responded, "Honey, that is a subject that hurts me very much, and I don't want to talk about it now." Then Little Eric, frustrated, sulks until he is dropped off at a friend's house to play.

He consults with his friend about the conversation between his mom and him. His friend says, "All you have to do is sneak and look at your mother's driver's license. It's just like a report card from school. It tells you everything."

Later, Little Eric and his mother are out and about again. Little Eric starts off with, "Mommy, Mommy, I know how old you are. You're 37 years old." The mother is very shocked. She asks, "Sweetheart, how do you know that?" Eric shrugs and says, "I just know. And I know how much you weight. You weight 150 pounds." "Where did you learn that?" said the mother again. Eric says, "I just know. And I know why you and daddy got a divorce. You got an "F" in sex."

FREE TEACHER LESSON PLAN - "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner"

Grades 3 to 6 - Critical Thinking

Here's a fun activity for your class. It is a logic worksheet to help students figure out relationships in the family tree.

*****************************************************************
Anthony is hosting Thanksgiving this year.

He invited his family (Amanda, Hunter, Megan, Julia, Jose, Matthew, Alexis, and David) to his house. His grandfather, his aunt, his brother, his grandmother, his father, his sister, his mother, and his uncle all had a great time at his house!

Figure out how each person is related to Anthony and make a family tree.

1. In the afternoon, all of the men were watching football. Amanda, Alexis, Julia, and Megan were talking and not watching football.

2. Matthew is Anthony's father.

3. Hunter is Anthony's brother.

4. Julia has no children.

5. David is Matthew's father.

6. Alexis is Matthew's sister.

7. Hunter is Julia's brother.

8. Megan is not Anthony's grandmother.

********************

Hope your gathering of family and friends is extra special! Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner!

Free Parent Involvement Activity - Grade Preschool - "Silly Basket"

Listening Skills

Cut a piece of paper into ten or more 1"x 4" strips, and write down an action on each one. For example,

"Wiggle and jiggle!"

"Stand on one foot!"

"Count to 10 as fast as you can!" or,

"Sing a silly song!"

Fold up these pieces of paper, place them in a small basket, and let your child select one. Read it to her and let her be silly! Then she can choose again!

Source: Bright and Beyond, Samrt & Simple Activities to do with your Child, Preschool, Ages 3-5. Available at SchooDoodle.com.

Free Parent Involvement Activity - 1st to 3rd Grades - "True or False"

Communicating, Persuasion Skills - 1st to 3rd Grades

Each player in this game writes a list of four statements (two true and two false). the object is to fool your opponent into guessing that a true statement is false and that a false statement is true.

For example:

I like to sleep on my stomach.

My mother was born in Milwaukee.

I just read a book about guide dogs.

Three of my closest friends are named Steve.

The players then trade statements, read them aloud, and try to guess which are true or false. You may learn some surprising things about each other!

Source: Bright and Beyond, Smart & Simple Activities to do with your Child, Writing, Grades K-3rd, Ages 5-9. Available at SchooDoodle.com.

Free Education News: New Study Finds That U.S. Math Students Consistently Lag Behind Their Peers Around the World

A new study comparing the math skills of America students to their peers in countries abroad finds that U.S. students in 4th and 8th grade perform consistently below most of their peers around the world and continue that trend into high school.

The study, conducted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) under funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education, reexamined data from three international surveys assessing mathematics achievement in 2003 – the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which assessed students in grades 4 and 8, and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which assessed 15-year-olds, most of whom were in 10th grade.

U.S. students consistently performed below average, ranking 8th or 9th out of twelve at all three grade levels. These findings suggest that U.S. reform proposals to strengthen mathematics instruction in the upper grades should be expanded to include improving U.S. mathematics instruction beginning in the primary grades.

Previous studies compared U.S. performance with substantially more countries, whose characteristics vary widely. A total of 24 countries participated in TIMSS-grade 4, 45 countries in TIMSS-grade 8, and 40 countries in PISA.

According to widely publicized findings from those studies, U.S. performance was above the international average in grades 4 and 8, but below the international average at age 15, suggesting that the quality of American high schools is inferior to that of elementary and middle schools.

Countries that score well on items that emphasize mathematical reasoning (a higher-level skill) also score well on items that require knowledge of facts and procedures (a lower-level skill), suggesting that reasoning and computation skills are mutually reinforcing in learning mathematics well.

Compared to other countries, students in the United States students do not do well on questions at either skill level. Many countries differ in their strengths and weaknesses among mathematical content areas (numbers, algebra, measurement, geometry, and data and statistics).

The United States does relatively better in data and statistics and relatively worse in measurement in grades 4 and 8 and in geometry in grade 8 and at age 15. Overall differences within countries between boys’ and girls’ mathematics performance are not large, although there is some evidence that the boys’ score advantage is greatest on the more difficult items, especially at age 15.

This finding is consistent with some prior gender literature. In addition, the study found that boys in the United States consistently outperform girls in all three assessments, a pattern shared only with Italy, but the differences are small.

To view the complete article, click here.

Source: American Institutes for Research

Free Education News - Bigger Than Bake Sales: As School Budgets Tighten, Parent Fund-raisers Chase Higher Stakes

Forget the cookie-dough sales promotions of the past - Newton North High School's athletic department is inviting members of the New England Patriots to play parents in a football fund-raiser.

Exactly which players is not yet known - last spring, Matt Cassel, Kevin Faulk, and Wes Welker played in the game - but organizers are hopeful the April 12 event can rake in as much as $20,000 for new exercise equipment for the school.

It's the season of the school fund-raiser. Although Newton North's efforts may be grander than most, many communities are ramping up fund-raising efforts through PTOs and education foundations. In Framingham, parents at one elementary school organized an auction this month to raise money for a playground.

In Marlborough, the education foundation hopes to bring in $2,700 to fund teachers' ideas for classroom projects. As school expenses for such items as health insurance, pensions, and even heating fuel have grown, so has the amount raised by parents to fund school-related programs, according to Tim Sullivan, president of PTO Today, a Wrentham business that helps parents plan benefit events.

He said many of the facilities and programs that used to be considered school standards are now left for parents to provide. "Thirty years ago, there wasn't a school built without a playground," Sullivan said. "Today there probably isn't one built with one. What used to be considered part of the equation is now an extra."

To view the complete article, click here.
(The Boston Globe 11.18.07)

Free Education News: A Troubling Case of Readers' Block

Americans are reading less and their reading proficiency is declining at troubling rates, according to a report that the National Endowment for the Arts will issued recently.

The trend is particularly strong among older teens and young adults, and if it is not reversed, the NEA report suggests, it will have a profound negative effect on the nation's economic and civic future.

"This is really alarming data," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. "Luckily, we still have an opportunity to address it, but if we wait 10, 20 years, I think it may be too late."

Titled "To Read or Not to Read," the report is a significant expansion of the NEA's widely cited 2004 study, "Reading at Risk." The NEA based that earlier study exclusively on data from its own arts surveys, and as a result, that analysis focused mainly on so-called literary reading -- novels, stories, plays and poems.

This led some critics to downplay its implications. The story the numbers tell, Gioia said, can be summed up in about four sentences: "We are doing a better job of teaching kids to read in elementary school.

But once they enter adolescence, they fall victim to a general culture which does not encourage or reinforce reading. Because these people then read less, they read less well. Because they read less well, they do more poorly in school, in the job market and in civic life."

The percentage of 9-year-olds who say they "read almost every day for fun," the NEA report notes, rose slightly, from 53 percent to 54 percent, between 1984 and 2004. During roughly the same time period, average reading scores for 9-year-olds rose sharply.

But the percentage of 17-year-olds reading almost every day for fun dropped from 31 percent in 1984 to 22 percent in 2004, with average reading scores showing steady declines.

To view the complete article, click here.
(The Washington Post 11.19.07)

Holiday Hassles and Something for You

Dear Parent

Can you believe that it’s that time of the
year again? I was in the mall last week
and the holiday decorations were out, the
Christmas music was playing and there was
a general feeling of hustle and bustle in
the air.

Maybe you are getting a bit excited and
caught up in the planning of the next 5
weeks… or maybe you are putting it off
because you are dreading all the hassles and
stresses associated with the holidays with
your kids.

Some common problems for families that
I have worked with are:

=> Divorce/Separation- Who has the kids this
year? And if you don’t have your kids, what
are you doing?

=> Loss- it is the anniversary of the death a
loved one and the whole idea of the holidays is
completely depressing.

=> Financial problems- worrying you don’t have
enough money to have the kind of holiday you
want. Or knowing that you are going to spend
too much money and the next 6 months you
will have to pay it back and your credit cards
will be out of control.

=> Not being appreciated- it’s been a tough
year and you feel you want to make it up to the
kids and you make lots of plans and try to do fun
stuff and the kids keep rolling their eyes and
complaining “I don’t wanna go there or do that
…it’s boring..it’s lame…whatever…!”

=> Family Stress- having to make the rounds to
all the grandparents and relatives and feeling
completely wiped out and aggravated about
the whole thing.

=> Feeling Overwhelmed- wanting to
change the way you celebrate the holidays,
(scale down, or even take the family and go
away somewhere warm). But you feel that you
cannot break with tradition for fear of upsetting
kids/relatives/etc.


I want you to know that it is your holiday
season. You have a right to celebrate it any
way you want to. You have a right to take
it back and make it meaningful to you.

Some tips that I’d like you to consider:

=> Make it fun (if it doesn’t feel fun, don’t do it)
=> Simplify (more is not better- more is more work)
=> Make a budget and stick to it (no resentment or
guilt about what spent later on.
=> Relax (build in down time and if you can take
vacation, do it.
=> Connect (talk to and spend time with your kids)
=> Learn how to take Back Your Parenting Power…

Get your free copy of my Parenting Manual Here:

http://www.parentingpowers.com/takebacksystemcss.htm

Best Wishes for a Peaceful Holiday Season,

Your Parent Coach,

Susan

Free Teacher Quote - "JFK - Gratitude"

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget

that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,

but to live by them."

- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Free Parent Involvement Activity - "What Happened?" - Preschool

Language Skills, Imagination

Show your child a magazine picture of an ordinary, everyday event, such as a man running, a child crying, a dog sleeping, or a broken-down car. Ask him what is happening in the picture, what he thinks might have happened to cause this, or what he thinks might happen next.

Source: Smart & Simple Activities to do with your Child, Preschool, Ages 3-5. Available at Schoodoodle.com.

The time spent developing relationships should be cherished. Not only today, but forever! Enjoy your little ones! (And your big ones too!)

Dear Mom and Dad, Why I say "Whatever!"

Dear Mom and Dad,

Why are you always yelling at me? "Do this, pick up that, put this away,

do your homework, get off the computer, set the table, brush your teeth!"

It really drives me crazy, that you never just let me be. You ask me why

I don't listen to you. Well, everything you say sounds the same...plus you

are on me all the time. I cannot finish a thought, a TV show, a computer

game or even a conversation!

You think that I have ADD because you think that I don't focus. Well, YOU

don't let me focus. You are constantly interrupting everything I do. That

is the real reason why I can never finish anything. And to top it off, I

feel like I can never do anything right.

Look, I am happy (well not jumping for joy) but ok about doing my chores,

my share to pitch in. But give me a break...a chance before you start in on me

again.

Why don't you hand me a list of stuff to do and put a deadline on it? Let me

mangage my time and figure out when to get in done. Then if I don't

follow through, you can yell at me all you want and I'll accept responsibility.

Just stop nagging. It just makes me want to go to my room and get away

from you. It also makes me say mean things to you like "whatever!",

roll my eyes, and definetly not do what you asked me to do.

You think I hate you. But that isn't it. You just make me so angry!

All because I didn't take out the trash in the 5 minute window you

gave me. Mom, Dad, get a grip. I need you to give me structure not

a lecture.

Love,

Your son/daughter

Wishing you a peaceful home!

Susan

Visit Susan at http://www.parentingpowers.com/

walk away,

Free Product Review: Autism, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and the Appreciation Station

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy (sometimes also called "discreet trial training" or the Lovaas Method) is an early intervention program for children.

ABA therapy is a combination of effective techniques that uses positive reinforcement rewards to develop new skills in social and language development, or reduce unwanted behaviors that interfere with learning.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy uses behavioral observation and positive reinforcement or prompting to teach behaviors to individuals with autism who may not otherwise learn these behaviors spontaneously through imitation.

The Appreciation Station™ is designed to help both Educators and Parents of children with developmental disabilities, such as autism, Asperger's syndrome, and other autism spectrum disorders (ASD), to have a complete system that's easy to use and works well with current positive reinforcement therapies, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Pivotal Response Training (PRT).

The Appreciation Station is already being used in homes and educational setting such as The Autism Society of MN, The Behavioral Institute of Children and Adolescents, The Family Achievement Center and The Help Group in CA.

What People Are Saying About Developmental Disabilities and Positive Reinforcement:

"Correct use of positive reinforcement is one of the most important components of effective educational and behavioral services for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Positive reinforcement, more simply known as 'rewards', occurs when a desired behavior (language, social interaction, academic work) is followed by a desirable outcome, or reward (such as attention, or a special treat or activity). Successful positive reinforcement results in a behavior occurring more frequently in the future. It can make learning fun, increase participation and cooperation, and help children learn valuable skills. [...] Some teachers and parents may have concerns about using positive reinforcement. They may feel that kids should do their work without special rewards or that using edibles is more appropriate with a pet than with a child. While I understand these concerns, scientific literature strongly supports the effectiveness of positive reinforcement for children with special needs. I believe educators and parents should consider using this technique because it is a powerful tool that can help improve children's skill acquisition and behavior."

Alan Harchik, Ph.D., BCBASource: May Institute
Click here to learn more about The Appreciation Station.

Free Education News: Join Chicago School Supply at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair

Join Chicago School Supply at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair Saturday, November 17th and Sunday, November 18th.

Visit our booth to play with Moon Sand and preview the latest products from Sand Lock Sandboxes.

The sechedule of events for the fair is as follows:

November 17th

9 am Star Wars Character Breakfast open to public
$25/adult and $15/child – Federation Toys is sponsor

9 am Mompreneur Networking Breakfast open to public
Peggy Brown speaker
$15/person

7:30 am Inventor Forum, $45, free to exhibitors
7:30 am breakfast sponsored by DeLano

8:00 am Forum – Hasbro and Mattel – What do they want?
Tim Walsh – moderator - Play Entrepreneur
Mike Hirtle – Head of Global Inventor Relations and Product Acquisition at Hasbro
Jeffrey Breslow – Co-Founder of BMT (Big Monster Toy)
Dave Okada – Vice President Inventor Relations at Mattel
Randy Horn – President of Zobmondo
9:45 break

Self-Production, Licensing and International Sales – What do you need to know?
Tim Walsh - moderator - Play Entrepreneur
Howard Jay Fleischer – President of RoyaltyPros Licensing
Richard Gottlieb - Author, Playthings Columnist and President of Richard Gottlieb and Associates
Arne Lauwers – President of Lauwers Games from Belgium
Renaud Honhon - CEO of Flarus Trading (Russian Federation & Belarus Distributor)
11:45 end

11 am HL Games Event - TBA

1 pm – 3 pm – Ask an Expert, free
Sign up for free 15 minute sessions. Experts for Saturday TBA.

12 pm Boy Scouts on Stage for Merit Badge

1 pm Giant Loteria Mix Game on Stage

1 pm – 6 pm - Games in Education Forum, Free with fair admission ticket
Barnes and Noble Co-sponsor

As an Approved Illinois CPDU Provider, this Forum will provide professional development seminars on how and why to use games in the curriculum. Professional educators, parent educators, administrators, and future educators are all invited to attend. Topics include but are not limited to:

· Why games are good for the brain
· How to evaluate games for their educational potential
· How others are integrating games into their educational programs
· How to differentiate instruction using games
· How games evolve to match developmental levels from early childhood to adulthood
· Practical exercise in evaluating and using games in the curriculum

Presenters include experts and educators from HL Games, High Content Games, Learning Resources, Educational Insights, and the National-Louis University Center for the Gifted.

2 pm Star Wars the Force Among Us Documentary Talk with the Director and Producer Chris Macht on Stage

3 pm - Toy Safety Panel on Stage
Carter Keithley – President of Toy Industry Association
Donald Mays – Senior Director of Product Safety Planning at Consumer Reports
Senator Dick Durbin – Pending schedule
Richard Gottlieb moderating,
More panelists to be announced.

4 pm – Young Inventor Forum – Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Young Inventors on Stage
Mike Hirtle – Global Head of Product Acquisition and Inventor Relations at Hasbro

10 am – 6 pm All Day Events, Free with Admission Ticket
Young Inventors’ Challenge
Game Club HQ
Kapla Tournaments – Relay Race, Tallest Tower and Tree Toppling

6 pm - Night at Essen, Free with General Admission Ticket
A Night at Essen features hot new games direct from the world famous Essen Game Fair sponsored by Rio Grande Games.

November 18th 2007

Reaching the Latino Market, free
7:30 am breakfast sponsored by Paco Communications and Univision
8:00 am Forum begins
Carina – Latino Radio and TV personality and author of Carina’s Annual Ten Best Toys and Games
Ozzie Godinez – Partner, Paco Communications
Hector Fabregas - Univision
Sharmila Fowler - Phoenix Multicultural
Marketing to Hispanics is different than marketing to the general population. They buy different and for different reasons depending on their level of acculturation. If you want to break into the fastest growing, largest and youngest market in the U.S. who adore their children, you should attend.

9:50 am Girls on the Run ‘Run’ Through Fair

10 am How to Protect Your Idea, Free
James Michael Faier, MPP, MBA, JD
Registered Patent Attorney, Faier & Faier

11 am Paul Niemann - Market Launchers
How to use the internet to promote your invention and to catch the attention of a Product Scout.

11:00 pm Dance Aspirations Dancers on Stage

12:30 – 1:30 pm Radio Disney on Stage

1:00 – 1:45 pm Library Games and Starting a Game Club in the Library
Scott Nicholson, Syracuse University School of Information Studies

1 pm – 3 pm – Ask an Expert, free
Sign up for free 15 minute sessions. Experts for Sunday TBA.

1:30 pm Energy Productions Dancers on Stage

2 – 4 pm WorldBee – Geography Challenge sponsored by Milne American Express Travel on Stage
Students in grades 4 – 8 compete to win travel vouchers, games and other prizes in this geography based “Scholar’s Challenge.” Complete rules of participation and registration information forthcoming. Grand prize $1500 travel voucher from Milne American Express Travel.

2 – 4 pm Retailer Roundtable covering large chains, independents and home-shopping
Moderated by Tracy Dudkiewicz - President of TAP Marketing
Brandi Field - Buyer for Go! the Game Store and Calendar Club
Gordon B Lugauer - 'the' Board Game Barrister
Raiko Mendoza - AblePlay, National Lekotek Center
Linda Storz - Storz Distributing Canada

5 pm Young Inventor Winner Announced on Stage

10 am – 6 pm All Day Events, Free with Admission Ticket
Young Inventors’ Challenge
Game Club HQ
Kapla Tournaments – Relay Race, Tallest Tower and Tree Toppling

Free Teacher Jokes - "Thanksgiving Quiz"

With the holidays right around the corner, here's a few questions you can share with your class. Call it a "pop-quiz" of a different sort, but it will be sure to bring some laughter to your class!

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? ...................Pilgrims!


If the Pilgrims were alive today, what would they be most famous for? .........Their AGE




What kind of music did the Pilgrims like?................. Plymouth Rock

How much did the Mayflower weigh? ........................A Puri-TON

Why does a pilgrim's pants always fall down?
............Because they wear their belt buckle on their hat.



Should you have your whole family for Thanksgiving dinner? ....
...............No, you should just have the turkey!

What sound does a turkey's phone make? ..........Wing Wing


When does Christmas come before Thanksgiving?......... In the dictionary!


How do you keep a turkey in suspense? .............I'll tell you at Christmas.


Why did the turkey cross the road? .............It was the chicken's day off.


Well, hope you have a great time with these jokes. If you get any funny responses, please post them! Enjoy! I will be most thankful for your responses!

Founder's Focus: National Association for the Education of Young Children - NAEYC Conference

Today I attended the annual conference for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

NAEYC conferences bring together early childhood educators representing many roles -- teaching staff, program administrators, students, researchers and teacher educators -- to discuss the latest ideas and learn from one another.

The NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo is the largest early childhood education conference in the world, where tens of thousands of educators choose from hundreds of presentations and exhibits.

While walking among the hundreds of exhibitor booths, two companies stood out from the crowd. Their products were unique and generated genuine excitement among attendees.

I fell in love with The Appreciation Station. This positive reinforcement tool is going to be big! Founder Diana Low has developed to an absolutely amazing product.

The Appreciation Station works by allowing your child to earn tokens for the behaviors you want to see more of.

Simply create clear rules and expectations, and watch as your child strives to get "the treasure".

You can fill The Appreciation Station with the things your child likes best: stickers, tatoos, gift certificates, or other prizes. You can also create your own rewards using our Appreciation Station coupons, such as a special time with you, a family outing, or a sleepover with a friend.

The visual nature of children keeps them coming back to The Appreciation Station, thinking "How can I earn my treasure today?"


The next must have product is from Sand Lock Sandbox. Every child can benefit from sand and water activities, but not every teacher and parent can stand the mess or sacrafice the space to accommodate a sand and water play area.

Meet Sand Lock.

Founder Chris Freres has designed a beautiful series of sand and water tables that are structurally perfect. We like them so much that we are going to be featuring them at the upcoming Chicago Game and Toy Fair next week!

What makes Sand Lock Sandboxes different than every other sand and water table available?

-->The panels that comprise the sides of the boxes are interlocking and easy to assemble.

What does that mean for you? The boxes can be arranged in a variety of sizes to suit your needs. The sets are easy to expand and shrink to met changing needs. It also means that we can ship them to you in a flat UPS box. Your shipping fees will be SIGNIFICANTLY less expensive.

-->Sand Lock uses a plastic panel for their ground barrier. No more messy dirt and stones for outdoor boxes!

-->Sand Lock has integrated unique seating options that double as 'posts' for their heavy-duty vinyl cover.

Take a look at their products online. These sandboxes are going to be big!

Chicago School Supply will be adding the latest products from NAEYC to SchooDoodle. Enter coupon code NAEYC at checkout for 20% off of your entire purchase.

Let us hear about your experiences at the NAEYC Conference 2007!

Free Teacher Lesson Plan - "Rainstick"

A simple-to-make Rainstick.
Rainsticks are ceremonial musical instruments used to invoke the rain spirits. They are made by people who live in the deserts of northern Chile. In Chile, rainsticks are traditionally made from dead cactus tubes with hundreds of cactus spines hammered into the tube. Tiny lava pebbles cascade gently through the tube, sounding much like rain.
This rainstick is definitely not traditional. It is made from a cardboard tube (instead of the dried cactus) and aluminum foil (in place of cactus spines).

Supplies needed:
* A paper towel tube or other long cardboard tube

* Aluminum foil

* Small dried beans (like lentils), unpopped popcorn, dry rice, or tiny pasta.

* Brown paper (from a grocery bag) or construction paper
* Glue
* Scissors
* Crayons or markers

Trace around the end of your tube onto a piece of brown paper (or construction paper).
Draw a bigger circle around that circle and then draw a lot of spokes between the two circles.

Cut along the spokes.
Trace around the end of your tube onto a piece of brown paper (or construction paper).
Draw a bigger circle around that circle and then draw a lot of spokes between the two circles.
Cut a piece of aluminum foil that is about one and half times the length of your tube and about 6 inches wide.
Crunch the aluminum foil into two long, thin, snake-like shapes.
Then twist each one into a spring shape.
Put the aluminum foil springs into your tube.
Pour some dry beans, dry rice, or unpopped popcorn into your tube. The tube should only be about 1/10 full. You can experiment to see how different amounts and different types of seeds and beans change the sound.

Make another cap from brown paper (the same as the first three steps) and cap your tube.

Optional: Decorate the tube by covering it with brown paper or construction paper, and then making designs with crayons or markers (or cut-out paper or stickers).
Rainforest designs are nice, especially brightly-colored butterflies, frogs, and flowers. Tiny construction paper butterflies (like the one on the right) are nice glued onto the rainstick.