Free Summer Learning Program

Internet4Classrooms has put together a free summer learning plan for
every age level from Pre-K through High School.

On a daily and weekly basis, we will provide students and parents fun activities, links to
great learning games, and other educational resources that will help
them get ready for the 2010-2011 school year.

We feel that summer learning loss is a major concern.

• Did you know that on average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills during the summer months?
  
• Research shows that teachers typically spend between 4 to 6 weeks re-teaching material that students have forgotten over the summer.
  

We've designed this program to keep students engaged in educational activities.

Here is the link to sign up for the program:
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/links_grades_kindergarten_12/summer_learning_2010.htm

Please share this link with anyone
that you feel may be interested and/or benefit from this program.

Best Wishes for a Great Summer!

Diversity Lesson

While Internet4Classrooms is known for providing the best online resources to teach students of all grades and subjects, here is a simple project for parents and teachers that doesn't require a computer or an internet connection.

"We're All the Same Inside" - this is a lesson plan that has been used for years. This link is to the preschool version, but it is appropriate for all ages.

Supplies needed: some eggs and an open mind

Have children decorate the eggs and give them different color skin (or mix brown and white eggs), hair, and features. Then crack open the eggs. They are all the same inside!

Sometimes the simplest lessons are the easiest to teach.

We've heard stories of children doing this lesson in school and then showing it to their parents at home.

Feel free to share with us any other simple projects that illustrate diversity.

- Susan

What is in a Name? or It's All in Their Name!

According to Wikipedia.org, a name is:

"A name is a label for a noun, (human or animal, thing, place, product [as in a brand name] and even an idea or concept), normally used to distinguish one from another. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context.

A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person."

Let's stop there.

School is starting shortly and teachers need to quickly and correctly learn their students' names. It is one of the first things that they do to welcome children into the classroom and make them feel part of the class. It doesn't matter if you are teaching kindergarten or at the college level. Using names is a basic way to connect with a student.

Here are some resources to help:

• KinderKorner - This site is geared towards teachers of younger children, mostly pre-school through primary. Includes songs and fun names activities for the entire class.
• VirtualVine.com - This site is nice for elementary teachers, as it contains many activities reinforcing phonics, literacy and graphing for learning names.
• TheApple.com - Quick tips to learn names quickly, adapted from the 'First Year Teacher's Survival Guide'.
• TeacherVision from the Family Education Network has a huge resource page for Personalizing the Secondary Classroom.
  
• The National Teaching and Learning Forum discusses the importance of learning names in the higher grades and has activities for the classroom. There is also a focus on peer-peer interaction to foster a learning environment in classes that may be very large and the student may just feel like another "number".

Hello, Andrew. My name is Mrs. Brooks. Welcome to YOUR classroom. We are going to have a wonderful year together.

“The Home Stretch” or Keeping Your Students with Spring Fever From Looking out the Window

Spring has finally sprung across the nation. Most states have completed their end of year assessment testing and parents, teachers and students are starting to look forward to the summer.

One question that a teacher may ask herself is, “How can I keep my students engaged and focused on the curriculum for the rest of the school year?” or parents may wonder, “How can I keep my children engaged in school, when all they want to focus on is the lure of their summer activities?”.

Just as Internet 4 Classrooms provides the best sources on the internet for various activities and resources, here are some links to information that will help you address “Spring Fever” whether in the classroom or at home.

1. Keeping Students on Task as the Weather Warms Up!
2. From a Homeschooling blog, an article about “Spring Fever” offers some ideas about getting the kids outdoors and engaging them in fun projects.
3. Read about the importance of having a little fun and rewarding hard work, great article for high school kids and college students.
   

Also, check out Summer Teaching Opportunities for Teachers to help you plan for your summer.

Feel free to comment and add sources to this list and share the strategies and activities that you use to keep your students engaged.

All the best,
Susan