For all of you with little ones, you need to check out Personalized Christmas stories. There are 3 Christmas stories that you can personalize with info about your little one and print off on your computer. And best of all it's FREE. There are also games, music, craft ideas, and other goodies. It really is a terrific site!

Hi y'all!
Here is an interesting site I was just introduced to. It's the Panda Cam at the National Zoo in Washington DC. You can watch the new baby panda. Something interesting for the younger ones...when the baby isn't sleeping.
National Zoo Panda

There are other cam for various animals. Have fun exploring the National Zoo!

Hi all!
Here is something of interest to all educators, future or current. Lauren Hopson, an educator from TN, recently faced her school board with her concerns about demands on teachers. I am adding a link for you to watch it. It takes about 5 minutes.
Lauren Hopson Teacher Concerns video

Have a great week!

Hey all!
Happy Halloween! Just wanted to share an other useful website. It has a variety of worksheets that are downloadable. Some are free or you can subscribe for $19.95 a year and you have unlimited access. I have provided a link. There is even worksheet for primary grade writing paper. There is a page that has an illustration window and lines below. It's worth a look.
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/

Hey language arts majors, here's another cute site to check out: 
www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games_vocab.htm

Check it out!

Hi all!
Just wanted to give everyone a head's up! If you sign up for the free log in on education.com you get up to 10 free worksheet downloads a month. There are some very interesting things there. I also got a free workbook download worth $4.99. It might help with some of your projects or just something to put in your teaching file!
Happy Halloween!

Welcome fellow classmates! I hope you find some of these sites not only useful, but fun!

This is the link for Common Core Standards. This will also be an important link, at least until a better model comes along.
Common Core Standards Portal

There are two more sites that will be important to us as educators. One is for the Michigan Curriculum Framework.  

Michigan Curriculum Framework 

I have found a wonderful web site that promotes for reading. It's called We Give Books. It's free and it allows students to read books online for free.  These are picture books for students to age ten. They have some really good books for Halloween. I just enjoyed "Goodnight Goon" a parody of "Goodnight Moon".

We Give Books 

The department of Education is a good source for information, when the government shutdown ends.

 US Department of Education

Teach Thought has some very interesting articles from "5 Strategies For Creating A Genius Mindset In Students" to "How The iPad Can Promote The Development Of Non-Cognitive Skills". There is even an article by Grant Wiggins entitled, "You Can't Teach Understanding". The site is definitely worth checking out. 

Teach Thought -- Learn Better

While you are over at About.com, check out their teaching section. They cover topics such as behavior, teachers unions, and a plethora of other teaching related topics.

Teaching -- About Teaching and Best Practices 

About.com has some interesting tools and articles. It can be used to find everything from worksheets to behavior tips. And most of it is free.

Elementary Education Site on About.Com 

"Teaching Channel is a video showcase—on the Internet and TV—of inspiring and effective teaching practices in America's schools. We have a rapidly growing community of registered members who trade ideas and share inspiration from each other." Directly from the mission statement of teachingchannel.org There are 732 videos that give teachers ideas how everything from assessments to special education.  Videos well organized and the site is user friendly.

Teaching Channel

Scholastic, those wonderful people that have given us school book orders and book fairs, has a web site and on their web site is a teacher section. There are resources and tools and many other things that may jump start your English/Language Arts program.  

Scholastic 

Laura has some great worksheets and strategies and tips for working with 3 -6 graders. If a little imagination and some work I am sure some of the worksheets could be used with younger students.

Laura Candler

Teachers Network has lesson plans, projects and other materials to help teachers. They also have several articles by Harry and Rosemary Wong available on their website.  I didn't have to register or subscribe to read the articles by Mr. Wong. He is author of "The First Days of School". We saw a video of Mrs. Seroyer in Classroom Management.  

Teacher Network