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Rolling Out the Red Carpet
By Kelly Mead

Ease your kindergartners' first-day-of-school jitters with these 11 great ideas to make your classroom a place they can't wait to... Read more

Hats Off to Thinking Caps!
By Lynne E. Peters

Want a fun way to improve classroom concentration? Try this hat trick on for size... Read more

Meet the Parents
By Dr. Jillian N. Lederhouse

Do you dread your school's Curriculum Night? Here's how to make the best of it – both for you and... Read more

The Ultimate Road Trip
By Susan Ade Potenza

This two-week unit gives sixth graders practice in real-world geography, science, math and more... Read more

Come to Our Popsicle Social
By Leslie Dearmin

Here's a great way for students to get back into the swing of things, with their parents there for support…and... Read more

Show What You Know
By Jeff Eccleston

This activity provides the perfect opportunity for students to write, explain and defend their knowledge of math concepts... Read more

Without a Voice
By Carol Pennamacoor

Faced with a rare form of mutism, a young girl is offered hope thanks to the love of her family... Read more

Asking the Right Question
By Elizabeth Swartz

Conducting effective research – at any grade level – is all about knowing which questions to answer; this month's reproducible... Read more

Standing on Water Street
By Patricia Reilly Giff

A master of children's literature finds the inspiration for her latest book while pondering the Brooklyn Bridge and the lives... Read more

Holy Reading, Batman!
By Nancy Schneider

Comic books and graphic novels can attract reluctant and struggling readers to the written word... Read more

Measuring Up
By Donna B. Faircloth

Once they hit fifth grade, your students' height can skyrocket in the course of a year – here's a fun... Read more

Smart Kids at CAMP-US
By Richard Sinatra

A summer literacy program gets inner-city kids off the streets and into books... Read more

Am I Ready?
By Maureen Tuohy

Stepping off the corporate ladder into the classroom, this author found more similarities between the two than expected – and... Read more

A Special Kind of Tutor
By Linda Brown Anderson

Children with different needs and abilities have a lot to teach others through cross-age tutoring... Read more

A Time and a Season
By Debbie Locke

A second grade teacher reflects on the past year and a spring butterfly project that helped her students take flight... Read more

Before the Final Bell
By Penny Percenti

Eliminate the stress of the last days of school by hooking your students with these innovative activities... Read more

The Month of May
By Eileen Spinelli

A poem to celebrate the merry month of May... Read more

Nuestros Amigos
By Stephanie Sheriff

A dual language program in a New York public school is making great strides – and great friends – for... Read more

Welcome to Worm Central
By Lisa Madison, A.L. Rydant, Raymond A. Jobin and Cindy Sterling

When an entire elementary school adopts a vermicomposting program, the students look at worms in a whole new, not-so-gross light... Read more

An Eco-Collaboration
By Jacquelin C. Devlin

A school-wide ecology fair teaches science, provides the opportunity for authentic research and models collaboration for teachers... Read more

Our Changing Climate
By Kay Berglund Newhouse

With these thought-provoking science experiments, global warming makes the leap from the headlines to the classroom... Read more

Magazine Fun
By Eileen Spinelli

According to this celebrated poet, April is the perfect month to curl up with a good magazine... Read more

Guided Reading—The Reader in Control
By Margaret Mooney

A noted New Zealand educator discusses the role your comments, questions and prompts play in helping children learn to read... Read more

Guided Reading Beyond the Primary Grades
By Margaret Mooney

A noted New Zealand educator explains how and why older students can benefit from guided reading sessions... Read more

The Game is Afoot
By Felicity Chapman

Middle schoolers enter the world of Sherlock Holmes and hard-boiled detectives in this unit on mysteries... Read more

Hooping it Up
By David Lamers

This basketball-themed unit incorporates computer skills, geography, poetry and more – a slam-dunk just in time for March Madness!... Read more

Masters of Illusion
By Daniel Menelly

These fascinating (and simple!) sojourns into optical illusion, sound effects and more will transform your students into lifelong science lovers... Read more

No Enemies in Aliceville
By Alice Davidson

A seventh grade writing project takes on a deeper meaning, thanks to a piece of local history that time forgot... Read more

And the Answer is...?
By Elizabeth Swartz

Give your students a great lifetime skill by teaching them the right way to find answers to their research questions... Read more

To My Favorite Teacher
By Eileen Spinelli

A celebrated poet's Valentine to teachers everywhere... Read more

A String of Beads
By Kelly C. Mead

Here is one fun math activity (and tie-in to the 100th day of school) you can count on!... Read more

On the Ball with Higher-Order Thinking
By Yolanda K.H. Bogan, Ph.D and Rhonda C. Porter, Ph.D

This playful and engaging lesson helps enhance your preK students' cognitive skills... Read more

Coloring Outside the Rules
By Samantha Cleaver

Changing the rules when necessary can foster behavior management in a special education classroom... Read more

Attitude Adjustments
By Rick Wormeli

Cultivating and maintaining a healthy attitude may be all you need to keep you at the top of your game... Read more

Martin Luther King Jr.
By Eileen Spinelli

A celebrated poet's heartfelt ode to the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.... Read more

Treasures for Black History Month

There are so many, many great items that will enrich your celebration of Black History Month, that they beg for... Read more

On the Road with Punxsy Phil
By Jeffrey J. Kuntz and John Snyder

With this collaborative classroom travel project, fifth graders explore life on the USA Track and Field Golden Spike Tour... Read more

Science is for the Birds
By Susan Ade Potenza

This fine-feathered unit incorporates aspects from across the curriculum – and will pique your students' interest in the great outdoors... Read more

The Scientific Mentor
By Becky Rodia, Senior Editor

These New York City seventh graders receive science-fair guidance from real scientists... Read more

Kamishibai Stories
By Dianne Clouet

An illustration from a student's kamishibai story entitled "The Bunnies". This captivating form of Japanese storytelling excites young authors and... Read more

Retracing Memories
By David L. Harrison

Every life is a poem worth celebrating – encourage your students to honor their memories through memoir poems... Read more

A Writer’s Bag of Tricks
By Debra T. Rotkow

A few simple strategies can provide your students with a bevy of great writing ideas... Read more

When I Was 41
By Shelly W. Santaniello

After a death in the family, a third grade teacher found comfort – and made valuable connections with her students... Read more

How To Teach How-To Writing
By Elizabeth Swartz

Once they learn how to organize lists and thoughts into a piece of writing, kids will be amazed at how... Read more

What a Performance!
By Monica Attell

In addition to everything else, teachers have to be great performers. This music teacher shares some of her best material... Read more

Getting to the Heart of a Story
By Karen E. Mitchell

A teacher shares how the time-tested tool of Anticipation Guides helped her students comprehend themes... Read more

The Power of Peer Pressure
By Jane Wingle

A decision to be a leader or a follower becomes a valuable teachable moment in this sixth-grade classroom... Read more

"Tutu" Much Fun
By Zulma Rodriguez

A unit on Swan Lake yields pictures, a computer presentation and a ballet performance – all by first graders... Read more

Welcome to the Real World
By David Cooper

Middle schoolers construct a brochure about their school, using the Five Themes of Geography... Read more

A Regular Kid
By Paula Carter

Having high expectations for the most challenging student exhibits commitment to–and for–all students... Read more

A Hand to Substitutes
By Ellen Javernick

Getting organized before the fact will ensure a smooth ride for your substitute teacher... Read more

Quiet Down
By Suzanna Parpos

Help students hear you by turning down the volume on your management techniques... Read more

Finding the Center of the Maze
By Elizabeth Swartz

Discovering the answer to a research question requires clever navigation through many types of source materials... Read more

Who Asks the Questions?
By Sheena Hervey

Teaching students how to pose questions is a critical reading comprehension strategy... Read more

Reflective Discipline
By Leah Moorefield

Providing students a tool for self-reflection can decrease classroom disruptions – and help identify the problems behind them... Read more

The Bilingual Bag
By Nanette L. Avery

A middle school reading program that connects the classroom with students' families... Read more

Life Sentence
By Jeff Eccleston

When students get to know a word by illustrating its meaning, a condemned assignment gains a new lease on life... Read more

And on Today’s Agenda...
By Jeff Eccleston

A daily agenda in your classroom will bring order, direction and structure to everyone's school day... Read more

A Novel Experience
By Dave Ross

Six tips for getting the most out of a visit from an author... Read more

Sit Back and Observe
By Mark Baldwin

Make connections all across your curriculum by showing your students how to keep an observation journal... Read more

Picturing a Story
By Nancy Scheinkman

No book is "too hard" for first graders when they read the story by "reading" the illustrations... Read more

Preparing to Write
By Elizabeth Swartz

Encouraging students to create their own organizational process will get them on the road to becoming better writers... Read more

Plan to Write
By Marcia Worth-Baker

Five rules that will help make writing a priority for your students – and for you, too... Read more

History Detectives
By John Fuchs

Asking your students to weigh the evidence from events in history can strengthen their critical thinking and analyzing skills... Read more

Good Advice
By Lisa S. Dryden

Letter writing in a "Dear Abby" format can encourage your reluctant writers to dig deeper into books by dispensing advice... Read more

Falling Out of the Tree of Life
By Peter Sís

A masterful author and illustrator shares some of the interesting background material that didn't make it into his biography of... Read more

Our Finest Moments
By Paula Carter

A school concert unites a diverse community in a common bond – love for their children.... Read more

Digital Storytelling
By Flora Iacchia

This introduction to digital painting will encourage your students to illustrate a story of their very own... Read more

The Art of Persuasion
By Tony Stead

Persuasive writing can become something your students may actually enjoy – here are some ways to engage them... Read more

ADHD: A Crash-Free Course
By Lisa Gigout-Hues

Through trial, error and a positive approach, this teacher learned how to work with her student's special cognitive style... Read more

Parents as Partners
By Dr. Mark A. Angle, Mary Porter and Jean Ann Rhodes

After growing weary of hearing how students weren't ready for kindergarten, these educators came up with a plan – and... Read more

Bringing It Home
By Carol Macken

Through literature studies and interviews, young students gain personal understanding of the multifaceted American immigrant experience... Read more

A Piece of the Puzzle
By Elizabeth Swartz

When writing a story using a grid, it may be easier for kids to figure out how all the "pieces"... Read more

Cinco de Mayo Math
By Paula J. Maida

A celebration of Cinco de Mayo can spark a math fiesta!... Read more

The Words That Surround Us
By Dr. Joan C. Fingon

Environmental print activities provide your students' families with an integrative way to encourage reading... Read more

Mapping a Novel
By Laila Lipetz

By creating a map of the novel Maniac Magee, students exercise their geography skills – and get some fan mail... Read more

Get Real!
By Alvin Granowsky, Ed.D

Young readers may be more apt to reach for content area readers about "real life" rather than narrative tales... Read more

The Return of Lilly
By Kevin Henkes

– and her purple plastic purse! A seed planted over 10 years ago blossoms into this author/illustrator's latest picture book... Read more

A Matter of Meter
By David L. Harrison

Teach your students the basics of poetry and watch their writing skills (and creativity) soar... Read more

Fun with Haiku
By Marilyn Capicotta

Fun haiku poetry.....three lines, no rhymes..kids love it... Read more

A Taste of Shakespeare
By Andrea McGann Keech

This introduction to Shakespeare can make kids Bard-lovers for life. One of Andrea's former students went on to high school... Read more

Adding Polish
By Elizabeth Swartz

The thought of rewriting may make your students groan, but polishing their work can (eventually) become second nature... Read more

Welcome to Our Classroom Museum
By Keil Hileman

For a teacher whose credo is "Explore Your World, Empower Yourself and Those Around You, Excel in Everything You Do,"... Read more

The Impractical, Wonderful Project
By Martin S. Richter

Ever get overly enthusiastic about a project only to see it quickly spiral out of control? Here's how dreaming big... Read more

What’s Your Strategy?
By Barclay Marcell

When creating reading strategies that would stick for her students, innovation and imagination were key for this teacher... Read more

Don’t Forget Acronyms
By Shelly W. Santaniello

This mnemonic device can be a terrific tool to help your students (and you!) memorize those things that are so... Read more

Volunteer Tutors
By Betty Erickson

With a little training, community members can give valuable guidance to kids who need extra support in early literacy... Read more

Fabulous Fictional Fabrications
By Elizabeth Swartz

... Read more

Valentine's Day Ode to a Teacher

A celebrated poet's Valentine to teachers everywhere... Read more

Black History Resources
By Patricia Broderick

February is officially Black History Month, but January has lots of opportunities to get ready for the celebration... Read more

Adding the Ingredients
By Elizabeth Swartz

Writing a research paper is a lot like baking cookies - adding lots of good stuff can make for a... Read more

Get a Move On!
By Rebecca Dekens

Frustrated by her students' unhealthy lifestyle choices, this teacher decided it was time for a change... Read more

Black History Resources

Enrich your curriculum by using these resources all year... Read more

Fun & Games
By Amy Jacobs and Julie Kohl

Math skills, teamwork and higher-level thinking come together when students create strategic board games... Read more

The Joy of Overlearning
By Heather Rader

Over applying concepts is part of the learning process... Read more

A Celebration of Words
By Nile Stanley

Poetry can lead children to a love of language – and help them build literacy skills as well... Read more

Putting Parents to Work
By Douglas Wurst

Setting up tasks for visiting parents can make their presence in your classroom a welcome one... Read more

Have a Seat, Friend
By Mary Hayhoe

With this cooperative spin on musical chairs, the object of the game is that everybody wins... Read more

A Literacy Luncheon
By Diane McCarty

Kindergartners spend a day on a college campus, having lunch, taking a tour and learning to love books... Read more

How I Shared Lessons in Life
By Pamela Schluter

It isn't always easy to share your personal life with your class, but the rewards – for you and your... Read more

Picturing a Story
By Dr. Mark Jones and Brenda Ross

This lesson resulting in students creating their own books is an excellent integration of art and language arts... Read more

Screen Stories
By Elaine Israel

When using literature-based videos to enhance the reading experiences of your students, all you'll be missing is the popcorn... Read more

A Need to Knit
By Barbara Gruener

A very special service project to help those in need turns out a crop of top-notch third-grade knitters... Read more

Roving Reporters
By Elizabeth Swartz

Research doesn't have to be boring or daunting thanks to kid-chosen topics and a helpful organizing grid... Read more

At Last It’s Fall
By Eileen Spinelli

A Teaching K-8 special extra! A celebrated children's poet pens an ode to autumn... Read more

What are Teachers Spending on School Supplies?

Thank you for taking our poll on how much you are spending on school supplies. From your response, it is... Read more

Get Out and Vote!
By Margaret Mansfield and Betsy Anderson

Staging a mock election for tomorrow's voters can build awareness of "real" issues and show how one vote really can... Read more

Money Matters
By Elizabeth Swartz

Learning how to keep financial records can lead to beneficial writing and mathematical skills for your students – and a... Read more

Quick Quick-Me-Ups
By Doris Schuchard

Add to the learning of each day with games and activities that take only minutes... Read more

Getting to the Essence
By Elizabeth Swartz

Writing summaries is like putting text through a shrinking machine! Here's how to get the idea across to students... Read more

Letters to the Rescue
By Elizabeth J. Cygan

A class of special education students turns a letter-writing project into a new way of looking at school... Read more

Beginning Reading, Bilingually
By Tina Athaide-Shannon

Use these strategies to help second-language students become first-rate readers of English... Read more

It’s in the Bag
By Maribelle H. Betterton and Lynne C. Ensworth

Thematic literacy bags are a great way to entice kids to dig in and read... Read more

Grammar Games
By Kim Brown

Once you've introduced these activities that play with parts of speech, your students will clamor for a grammar lesson... Read more

Bits & Pieces, List & Notes
By Elizabeth Swartz

Two basic organizational tools that will help kids create more complex pieces for their writing portfolios... Read more

Classroom Companions
By Cindy Bartlett

A nature-lover's case for bringing animals back into the classroom... Read more

Everything in its Place
By Elizabeth Swartz

Activities and a reproducible for teaching the basic skill of putting things in order... Read more

Mentoring Matters
By Jean B. Wiley

Here's an online resource with everything you'll need for mentoring, including a first-day-of-school checklist... Read more

The Parts of Our Puzzle
By Susan Flanagan

This self-identification activity will help you to unite your classroom early on and give you a glimpse of your students'... Read more

Bringing Fun into Organization
By Paula Milligan

At the start of the school year, staying organized is at the top of everyone's to-do list - here's how... Read more

Kids With Character
By Tamsen J. Boyd

First graders become experts at monitoring and managing their own behavior with these fun, yet reflective activities... Read more

Book Talk Tips
By Gwenyth J. McCorquoale

Want to help your students develop a love of reading? Try a little classroom conversation about books... Read more

Reading Aloud
By Carol Otis Hurst

A bevy of books that are ideal for the first day of school... Read more

School’s Out!

Just because it's summertime doesn't mean learning has to end. Help parents to help kids maintain those hard-won skills with... Read more

Surviving Job Search Anxiety
By Michelle Drake

For new teachers, the worst part of the job search is the wait – here are some tips to get... Read more

Put Your Stamp On It!
By Blanche Gosselin

Cancelled stamps can be a treasure trove of learning opportunities for students and teachers alike.... Read more

Welcome to Kindergarten
By Kelly Mead

This summer, ease the way for new students and anxious parents alike with a warm, informative letter that previews the... Read more

Comprehension Clinchers
By Barclay Marcell

"Didn't get it? Don't sweat it!" says the Comprehension Queen, who has come up with several reading tactics to help... Read more

Comprehension for All
By Diane Snowball

Build independence and confidence and instill a love of reading with these comprehension learning strategies... Read more

Take a Trip with Math
By Jeffrey J. Kuntz

Pack your bags – you'll love all the places where Math Journeys will take your students... Read more

Mighty Math Skills
By Stuart J. Murphy

Mathematical thinking in preschool and kindergarten can go far with the help of everyday activities and good books... Read more

Gardens of Delight
By Susan M. Weaver

A plan to attract wildlife for student observation and spruce up a barren schoolyard transforms into a prize-winning idea... Read more

Lift the Math Curse
By Cathlene Albrecht

An interdisciplinary project helps students discover the wonder of numbers in daily life... Read more

A Night to Remember
By Barbara Buckman Strasko

Students get a chance to strut their artistic stuff for their families and school community at Poetry and Arts Night... Read more

Let’s Get Moving!
By Karen Sherman, Brian Collins and Kay Donnelly

A little break in the day for physical activity will keep your students (and their brains) refreshed and active... Read more

The Name of the Game
By Kathy Erickson

These cross-curricular, hands-on games are so much fun, students will be begging to play (and learn) all day long... Read more

The Mathtubs are Coming!
By Stephen Currie

A curious advertising campaign piques math interest – for both kids and their parents... Read more

Reading + Math = A Perfect Match
By Richard Callan

These six activities begin with storytelling and can lead your students to find delight in the world of math... Read more

Life Stories
By Elizabeth Swartz

Reading and writing biographies and autobiographies can lead students to a better understanding of perspective and contrast in writing... Read more

Celebrate!
By Patricia Broderick

These great books will enhance culturally-rich Black History month.... Read more

Streets of Learning
By Joyce Rueff

No suitcase necessary for this trip – a school-wide learning fair turns every classroom thoroughfare into an educational voyage... Read more

Adventures in Mentoring
By Carianne Capalongo Bernadowski

Introducing "The Buddy System," a program in which big kids (eighth graders) and little kids (kindergartners) learn about life from... Read more

Recipes for Life
By Josephine Waltz

In compiling a book of famous authors' favorite dishes – and donating the profits to a good cause – sixth-grade... Read more

SHARE and Share Alike
By Jeffrey Marshall Baird

In this innovative program, multi-age students team up to teach and learn reading comprehension strategies... Read more

Building a Library from Scratch
By Danny Brassell

All it takes is a little help from your community, perseverance and some creative thinking... Read more

A Reading Star is Born
By Marji Ackerman

Beginning readers make their "reading debut" and step into the spotlight with confidence... Read more

Thanks for Your Support
By Carol Macken

By building a teacher's network, you'll be part of a support system and on your way to becoming a better... Read more

The Writer Within
By Lynn Mondello Caggiano

Picture journals helped draw out these reluctant writers and gave them a way to organize their thoughts... Read more

The Wright’s Flight--and Beyond
By Linda Lindroth

It's been over 100 years since the Wright brothers first took to the air; here are some ways to celebrate... Read more

Sit Back and Relax
By Mary M. Ross-Dolen, M.D.

For those days when you're feeling things can't get any worse, here are five exercises to ease your mind and... Read more

Please Join Us...Thank You
By Elizabeth Swartz

Real-world writing doesn't get much more rewarding than the creation of invitations and thank-you notes... Read more

Shake, Rattle and Learn
By Karen LeVasseur

With a fun unit featuring hits from the 1950s, your students will be rockin' around the clock while building their... Read more

Going Beyond the Right Answer
By Kathy Richardson

Math is about the relationships between numbers; here's how to find out if your students understand those relationships... Read more

From Old 2 New
By Dr. Daniel E. Engstrom, Janice L. Boulton and Lisa Wurzelbacher

A wonderful integrated activity teaches students an important lesson in recycling and puts some old crayons to good use... Read more

Building the Magic Tree House
By Mary Pope Osborne

When faced with a creative challenge, this author persisted through seven false starts before launching a successful series... Read more

Our Multicultural Classroom
By Nanette Avery

A student from another country can enrich classroom learning in more ways than you can imagine... Read more

A Simulated Journey
By Lisa Yoder

Can you bring to life different events in social studies for your students and still adhere to the standards? This... Read more

Careless Errors, Gone in a Snip
By Marion Lee Caldwell

No, not a snap – in this self-monitoring system, kids snip inches from a meter strip when they make "No... Read more

Connect Three
By Leah A. Moorefield

The next time you're unexpectedly called out of your classroom, try this fun activity sheet to keep your students busy... Read more

Top-Level Structures
By Faye Bolton

This form of text structure will help your students improve their reading comprehension... Read more

Looking for a Listener
By Eileen Spinelli

A celebrated poet's ode to poetry... Read more

A Helpful Serving
By David Rockower

A collaboration with the local high school café dishes up a fun learning experience for fifth graders and an opportunity... Read more

A Healthy Change
By Jeffrey J. Kuntz

A few gradual changes in your students' daily routines can get them on the road to becoming physically fit... Read more

The Inventive Guest
By Harry T. Roman

Apply the concept of invention across your curricula with a special classroom visit... Read more

A Letter to a Future Teacher
By Joseph Pizzat

A grandfather who devoted his life to education writes a very special letter to his granddaughter, a future teacher... Read more

Get Your Bearings

An outdoor activity, courtesy of a respected natural history education organization... Read more

Travelmates Revisited
By Diane McCarty

They're back — with new ideas and new accomplishments like exploring Japan, promoting literacy and exchanging journals with Native American... Read more

Snapshots from Japan
By Peter Barnes

After traveling to the "Land of the Rising Sun" as part of the Fulbright Memorial Fund teacher program, this teacher... Read more

Living the Promise
By Maria Brountas

How to transform the Pledge of Allegiance's lofty language into words kids can live by – in just 10 minutes... Read more