Great Stuff for Teachers Newsletter

Archive | Subscribe | Newsletter Center

January 2008, Volume 2

	Dear Teacher, There is so much to celebrate in February, you're going to have a busy month! Incorporate African-American heritage activities into your lesson plans in honor of Black History Month. Take advantage of our coloring book of black Americans, traditional African art projects, literature guides to the works of black writers, and more! Don't forget about Groundhog Day on February 2nd. Teach your class about the magic of shadows how shadows can be studied to see if spring will come early this year! Chinese New Year is February 7. Show your students the traditions of another culture, using our lessons and printables. Try making a dragon puppet and learning to write in Chinese. Make Valentine's Day (February 14) fun for everyone by encouraging your students to make their own valentines for the entire class. February is also a good time of year to focus on social and emotional issues with your class. The teaching of love and acceptance can fit into any subject or lesson. Best Wishes, The Editors of TeacherVision.com FEATURED THEMES Black History Month Celebrate African-American heritage and accomplishments this month. Favorite Black History Month Activities Slideshow Virtual Field Trip of Underground Railroad in New Bedford, MA Coloring Book of African-Americans (2-6) Billie Holiday's Song "Strange Fruit" Senufo Painting A Raisin in the Sun African Folktale Characters Large Masks Teammates Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman Speaking of Slavery Slavery: An Incalculable Human Loss Kente Cloth Daily Warm-Up 42 for Gr. 3 & 4: American History Famous African-Americans: Using a Grid Timeline of the Modern Civil Rights Movement Ways to Honor Martin Luther King Jr. More Black History Month Resources Groundhog Day Teach your students the science of shadows this Groundhog Day (February 2). History of Groundhog Day Explore Activity: Experiment with a Shadow Investigate Activity: Observing Shadows Caused by Sunlight A Shadow Record Earth and Shadows: The Reasons for Seasons Shadow Drawings How Are Shadows Made? More Groundhog Day Resources Chinese New Year Use Chinese New Year (February 7) as a way to show your students the traditions of other cultures. Chinese New Year Activities and Resources (K-5) Favorite Chinese New Year Printables Slideshow All About Chinese New Year New Year's Dragon Puppet Sun Nin, the Chinese New Year Chinese Symbols Gung Hay Fat Choy Chinese Calligraphy Chinese Percussion Music Chinese New Year Vocabulary Practice Chinese New Year Picture More Chinese New Year Resources Valentine's Day Encourage your students to show their affection for their classmates this Valentine's Day (February 14). Valentine's Day Printable Book (K-2) Valentine's Day Printable Book (3-5) Favorite Valentine's Day Printables Slideshow Valentines Pop-Up Hearts Cards Heart Butterfly Valentine Basket All About Valentine's Day Cardboard Heart Printing Slideshow of Romantic Couples in Literature Valentine Word Search In the Spirit of Valentine's Day Valentine Riddle Heart Puzzle Slideshow of Romantic Couples Through the Ages Writing from the Heart Be My Valentine Card & Envelope I Am Loveable More Valentine's Day Resources TEACHING TOOLS Social/Emotional Issues Prevent bullying and hurt feelings with our resources on social and emotional issues. Feeling Words Chart Self-Portrait Emotion Similes What's So Bad or Good About Conflict? How Are We Different? Friendly Rainbows Many Ways to Resolve Conflict Bully-Proof Your Classroom Picture the Conflict Stages in the Acceptance of Death Cooperation Quilt Similar and Different More Resources on Social/Emotional Issues				Mardi Gras Celebrate Fat Tuesday in your classroom this year! We have a short history of Mardi Gras that you can print out for your class, as well as three different masks for your students to cut out, decorate, and wear: a blank mask, a basic template, and an egg-carton mask. Try adding feathers, glitter, and paint. Have fun! 2008 Election   Encourage your students to become part of the political process—and brush up on the candidates yourself—with our guide to the 2008 Presidential Election. Bio of Hillary Clinton Bio of John Edwards Bio of Rudy Giuliani Bio of John McCain Bio of Barack Obama Bio of Mitt Romney The Presidential Election Process Presidential Conventions How a President Gets Elected Primary Election of the President & Vice President Election of the President & Vice President: Electoral College More 2008 Presidential Election Resources   New Literature Guides The Bake Shop Ghost Teacher's Guide Jumanji Teacher's Guide The Polar Express Teacher's Guide Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems Discussion Guide Sketches from a Spy Tree Teacher's Guide A Teacher's Guide for Good Brother, Bad Brother More Literature Guides Rubrics   Try a new form of assessment this semester, with rubrics. Your students will appreciate having an outline of your grading guidelines. Creating Rubrics Blank Rubric Scoring Rubric Rating Scale Cooperative Group Rubric How to Use and Grade Rubrics Scoring Rubric: Resume and Cover Letter Popular Reading & Language Arts Rubrics More Rubrics   New Math Printables Getting to Know Them Turn and Turn Are They Equal? Order Up Slide Away More About Them Shapes and Figures Longer and Shorter More New Content Timely Topics   Challenger Shuttle Exploded (January 28, 1986) National Puzzle Day (January 29) Jackie Robinson's Birthday (January 31, 1919) Thirteenth Amendment Abolished Slavery (January 31, 1865) Groundhog Day (February 2) 15th Amendment Signed (February 3, 1868) Rosa Parks's Birthday (February 4, 1913) Mardi Gras (February 5) National Girls and Women in Sports Day (February 6) Chinese New Year (February 7) Valentine's Day (February 14) Susan B. Anthony Day (February 15) King Tut's Tomb Opened (February 16, 1923) Presidents' Day (February 18) George Washington's Birthday (February 22, 1732) Leap Year Day (February 29) More January Events More February Events