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August 2008, Vol. 2

	Dear Teacher, It's time to go back to school! Help students transition from their relaxed summer schedule by beginning the year with engaging activities. Use icebreakers to get everyone acquainted, raise anticipation by discussing future field trips, rearrange the classroom to fit everyone's needs, and explain new classroom rules. Many students think of Labor Day as just a school holiday. Teach them what it's really about, with our lessons and activities. There are few things more important than your home, whether you're a human or an animal! Talk with your students about why shelter is vital for sustaining life, and discuss why different animals require different types of homes. September 13 is Roald Dahl Day! Celebrate the splendiferous author with our teacher guides to his books (including the classics Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach), printable vocabulary activities, and art projects. Open house is one of your first opportunities to form a lasting relationship with parents. Our guides and tips will help you plan for a successful and fun open house. Best Wishes, The Editors of TeacherVision.com FEATURED THEMES Back to School The best activities for starting the new year off right can be found here! Top 10 Free (& Cheap) Rewards for Students Icebreakers Getting to Know Your Students Creating an Effective Physical Classroom Environment Popular Back-to-School Lesson Plans Teacher-Parent Collaboration Ideas Slideshow Substitute Teacher Information Classroom Organization Tips Slideshow Behavior Management Tips for the Classroom Top 10 Free Field Trips Customizable Awards and Certificates Popular Classroom Management Resources Getting to Know You Bingo Grading Process Tips Elementary Classroom Survival Tips Class Constitution & U.S. Constitution More Back-to-School Resources Labor Day Labor Day is September 1 this year. Recognize the hard work of Americans with these activities, printables, and lesson plans. Labor Day Activities School Jobs Crossword Puzzle Labor Day Fill-in-the-Blanks Firefighter's Hat Career Words Labor Day Puzzle Jobs That Depend on Other Jobs What Is Child Labor? Labor Day Newspaper Rocks in My Pocket Babysitting Earnings Make a Stethoscope Community & Careers Printable Book (K-4) Brainstorming About Jobs Career Survey More Labor Day Resources Homes Find out all about building homes, animal habitats, activities to do at home, technology resources for the home, and more. Building a House Filmstrip People Who Build Our Homes Bulletin Board How to Build a House Shelters Building a House Big Book Daily Journal Topics: Shelter Animal Homes Teacher's Guide On the Far Side of the Mountain My Home Living Things and Their Environments: Family Activity Houses of the World Edible Houses Kindergarten: Using Technology at Home Sixth Grade: Using Technology at Home Where Plants and Animals Live: Family Activity More Resources on Homes Roald Dahl Day Plan a gloriumptious event in honor of Roald Dahl's birthday on September 13. Matilda's Word Mastery Word Scrambles and Riddles for The BFG Charlie's Chocolate Factory Challenge The BFG's D.I.Y. Dream Catcher Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Colossal Confections Egg Carton Critters James and the Giant Peach More Resources on Roald Dahl TEACHING TOOLS Open House Being well-prepared to meet students' parents for the first time can make a huge difference in how the rest of the year goes. Hosting a Successful Open House Kindergarten Open House First-Grade Open House Second-Grade Open House Third-Grade Open House Fourth-Grade Open House Fifth-Grade Open House Sixth-Grade Open House Invitation to Open House: Sample Letter Parent Volunteering Survey Getting Parents Involved Parent-Teacher Communication Advice from Veteran Teachers More Open House Resources				New Printable Books   Find pages and pages of resources on one topic, all collected into a single, printable book! Addition & Subtraction Lessons & Worksheets (K-5) Creative Writing (5-8) Money (K-4) Save Our Environment (K-12) Seasons (K-6) More Printable Books   Science Transparencies & Visuals Slideshows   Discover colorful pictures, charts, and diagrams that will help you explain difficult science concepts with ease. Animal & Insect Transparencies Slideshow Human Body Transparencies & Visuals Slideshow Oceanography Transparencies & Visuals Slideshow Physics Transparencies & Visuals Slideshow Geography Transparencies & Visuals Slideshow Atmospheric Science Transparencies Slideshow Geology Transparencies & Visuals Slideshow Space Science Transparencies & Visuals Chemistry Transparencies & Visuals Slideshow Plant & Animal Visuals More Science Visuals   Patriot Day   Commemorate September 11 with literature guides, references, and discussion. September 11, 2001: Attack on New York City Teacher's Guide September 11: A Testimony September 11 Remembrance Ribbon Understanding September 11: Answering Questions About the Attacks on America Patriotic Art Activities More September 11 Resources   Bloom's Taxonomy Asking students to think at higher levels, beyond simple recall, is an excellent way to stimulate their thought processes. Bloom's Taxonomy: An Overview Levels of Questions in Bloom's Taxonomy Bloom's Taxonomy Activities Bloom's Taxonomy Verbs Timely Topics   Women's Equality Day (August 26) Hurricane Katrina Devastated Gulf Coast (August 29, 2005) International Blog Day (August 31) Back-to-School Month (August) Family Fun Month (August) Inventor's Month (August) Labor Day (September 1) Little Rock 9 Prevented from Integrating (September 4, 1957) Suicide Prevention Week (September 8-14) Patriot Day (September 11) First African-American Woman in Space (September 12, 1992) Roald Dahl's Birthday (September 13, 1916) The Nuremberg Law Enacted in Germany (September 15, 1935) Emancipation Proclamation Issued (September 22, 1862) Bill of Rights Created (September 25, 1789) Rosh Hashanah (September 29) Kids' Good Manners Month (September) Library Card Sign-Up Month (September) More August Events More September Events