This retelling by Robert D. San Souci of the traditional British ballad tells of a trick played on the Sheriff of Nottingham by Robin and his Merry Men.

Although the story line can’t exactly be considered deep, the illustration style and colors used are extremely suited to the period and setting of the piece. An interesting classroom extension would be to compare and contrast this Robin Hood tale with others.

I would recommend Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow as either a classroom or family read aloud book. The full color illustrations will capture the attention of children, making it a suitable title for curling up with or reading after a chilly recess.  Available in early October, 2010.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Keeping all your kiddos on point is no small feat.  Wandering minds and fidgety bodies can interfere with even the best laid instructional plans. Here are 10 classroom management strategies to promote full-class participation at multiple grade levels.

Classroom Management Strategies that Get Every Student Participating

Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down

This is a great group response strategy for true / false and yes / no questions. It’s simple, usable from K – 12 and requires absolutely no special equipment or prep.

Laminated Index Cards

A favorite filler activity of mine to integrate basic math skills for younger grades is to create response cards using large blank index cards with the less than (<) symbol on one side and the greater than (>) symbol on the other.  I laminate them for stability from year to year, and write basic math equations on the board with the appropriate symbol missing.  I then ask the class to respond as a group with their individual cards. It’s a quick way to assess which students are still having trouble identifying the proper symbol to use. You could also use this technique to create true / false or yes / no answer cards. It would be a great sight word builder for ESL classrooms.

Individual Response Boards

You can use individual-sized chalkboards, white boards cut from large pieces of shower stall board, or make bargain white boards with copy paper and sheet protectors. Use appropriate writing utensils and make sure students each have an old sock to erase their boards with in between questions. Use this technique with brief math problems, multiple choice questions delivered orally and much, much more.

Choral Reading

This can be used at any grade, whether it’s in a primary grade classroom reading the assigned poem for the week, or in a high school classroom working on a readers’ theater play with portions designed to be read chorally in group presentations.  Not every reading assignment will be perfectly suited to this, but those that are provide a great opportunity to keep students on task and involved.

Oral Cloze Technique

This is similar to choral reading in that all students respond at once. However, the response is limited to a word you have left out as they follow along during a teacher read aloud of a certain passage or paragraph. Basically, it’s like a cloze worksheet without the worksheet. This works great when you need to review something quickly like directions, or introduce a key word such as a vocabulary term.  I particularly like to use this technique when I want to make sure the students are involved, but find myself in a situation where it’s more appropriate for me to do the oral reading. It doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does I feel like I’m covering all of my bases.

Delayed Student Selection

Basically, I’m speaking of asking the entire group a particular question so they all become engaged with figuring out a way to answer appropriately. Then I call on an individual student after everyone’s had a chance to figure out how they would reply. A great way to keep this fair is to select a learner from a mug full of wooden craft sticks with all student names written on them. It keeps things random and fair, without letting the students know in advance who will be called on.

Call to Action

Require all students to locate a word on a reading handout and perform a certain action on that word (circle it, underline, draw a box around it, etc.) before calling on the group or an individual to say what that word is.  It’s a good idea to make the word critical to the lesson you are about to begin, such as if that word is related to a lab experiment, writing assignment parameters or a math concept review.

Team Reviews

Students love to review for tests in game format. Break them up into small groups to compete tournament style, or have two main groups competing. Try having learners play content review games one on one with a buddy, or against a few people at once in a learning center. Here are several more ideas for test reviews that rock, including a couple of my favorites: chalkboard relay races and a review technique that uses little more than a paper bag.

Put Them in the Hot Seat

Assign study groups and have students prepare for a round table discussion where their fellow students and possibly some guest teachers ask them any number of questions related to the content material. Film it like a reality TV show and make sure everybody gets grilled.

Line Up Question and Answer

Make answering a content question a prerequisite for lining up at the door for recess, lunch, catching the bus home, etc.  Do this orally or have some questions prepared ahead of time on folded papers placed in an empty bucket or bowl.  Call on students randomly from your popsicle stick coffee mug management system and then choose their review question manually as well. If a student answers a question wrong they need to sit back down. Personally, I don’t like to have this be miserable for the kiddos, so if they answer the second one wrong as well, I let them get help from a friend already in line and encourage them to review more at home on their own. Math and geography flash cards are great for this activity as well, as they require absolutely no prep time and don’t cut into other lesson time when you know your students really could use the extra review time on the material in question.

What are your favorite tips for full-group participation or keeping all of the students on their toes?

Photo Credit: Rubens LP

Norton Juster’s tale of an angry ogre features whimsical watercolor illustrations of an old-world village setting.

A picture book suitable for older elementary students, The Odious Ogre is loaded with excellent vocabulary terms, and sure to inspire any group of third and fourth graders who are assigned it as a reading task.

I found the “killing him with kindness” method used by the heroine to best the ogre a bit hilarious, and worthy of working into a class discussion.

This book seems particularly well suited to illustrated retellings taken through all stages of the writing process as a holistic culminating assignment. I recommend The Odious Ogre to any third or fourth grade classroom teacher, student or parent of that age group. A great addition to home, school and classroom libraries.

Photo Credit: Scholastic

Here’s a link to google photos of the Island of Trash found in our oceans.

Children are interested, open and willing to learn. If your example is one of recycling, turning down the hot water heater, buying in bulk or biking rather than driving around the block your kids and students will notice and begin to absorb this information. The more they see your example the more they will begin to emulate you and  practice their own greener living measures. Possibly you and your family or your students can volunteer for oil spill clean up,  or volunteer in your city or town for a clean up day. Every action is one step toward protecting our natural resources and our planet.

Earth

With movies like, Inconvenient Truth, Earth and Planet Earth children develop a deeper understanding of our planet and protecting our natural resources. Earth Day celebrations are another resource. They offer a multitude of ideas to support Greener Living. In fact on this Earth Day site you can find Earth Day projects, activities, crafts and lessons to use with students to raise awareness of Greener Living. Here’s the perfect way to begin building student awareness  Using Mad Green Skills to Generate Less Cafeteria Trash and 8 Simple Ways to Reduce Plastic in the Classroom. Every baby step we take toward protecting the earth is one step forward toward greener living and deepening environmental education. Here is a  Lesson Machine link to teacher tips for recycling and reusing classroom craft supplies. What steps can you take today?

Photo Credit Aussie Gall

Survival

This is part two in a series Survival Science

Day 7  Students choose a partner to work with on a Survivor experience.  Students discuss and compare their survival lists and combine lists and create a final list of fifty items that they will take to the island. They may choose six luxury items for this list, three for each student.

Day 8  Discuss survival items students could make while on the island using basic items found on the island combined with selected items from their list, such as  string, net, wire, or duct tape .  Each student is then instructed to create an invention item. They are instructed to complete the project in one week and required to demonstrate it’s purpose in class. Students are to include a list of items used to determine that each item was actually on the final list.

Day 9-10 Class time on projects. (Another three school days were given to complete the project at home as homework.)

Upon completion of projects students demonstrate them in front of the class. I also recommend allowing time for other students to view them and explore how they work after the presentations. We then displayed them in a  display case in the school lobby. Students included a description of each item and what it would be used for.

I’ve discovered options to expand the unit. Reality shows like Survivor certainly have expanded older students knowledge of survival in extreme conditions so in appropriate grade level settings such as high school an episode (that has been pre-viewed) could be used to discuss  shelter building, protecting food from the elements, fire starting with flint and fishing techniques. Another resource would be Boy Scouts. These students would be an additional resource for the unit as they often learn survival and camping skills.

Students could make videos of the building process as they create their survival item. Here you can read about other Lesson Machine Teaching in the Trenches tips including video projects and web projects to use for special school events as well as other helpful advice.

Students could pack and prepare a backpack with their listed items (provided their family owns these items already.) If they don’t then you could bring in the items as a class and have the students pack them in class to see just how such a task would be completed and the skill necessary to make such a pack hold what you need while being light enough to handle.

Photo Credit Edyta Materka

This is article is by education writer Haley McLeod, and features various podcasts classroom educators should find valuable.

Teachers are well aware that learning is a life-long process. With the education world rapidly changing, educators must continually adapt their teaching styles to coincide with changing technology and education expectations. For podcasts in specific subject areas, please visit the Education Podcast Network, which provides links to education podcasts sorted by category. For now, here are several top podcasts that focus on general education improvement and current events.

ESL Teacher Talk: As the United States becomes more diverse, English as a second language teachers are in more demand than ever. ESL Teacher Talk is ideal for teachers who have students in their class who are learning English as a second language. The podcast discusses topics as classroom management, lesson plans, and job searches specifically for ESL Teachers. The podcast also includes links to supporting education materials, videos, and other downloads.

The Education Gadfly Show: The Education Gadfly show, run by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, examines current education issues such as school choice, teacher quality, and government legislation. In Ohio and around the country, The Fordham Institute advocates for more widespread education options and teacher accountability. Through 90-second mini-debates and “Rate that Reform,” the hosts educate the public about current events in the education world.

K-12 Greatest Hits: BAM! Radio, a prominent voice in the education community, compiles all of their most popular podcast segments into this podcast. Each episode is hosted by an Executive Directors of one of the many education associations in the United States. Through interviews with well-known educators and advocate groups, this podcast provides insights on the current issues of the education world.

NPR: Education Podcast: The National Public Radio podcast on education is a fantastic overall resource for educators, providing information on the science of learning, classroom dynamics, and other relevant topics. The podcast also covers current education news stories from around the world.

Teachers Teaching Teachers: Run by three working teachers in New York City, Paul Ellison, Susan Ettenheim, and Thomas Locke, this program provides a weekly podcast, skype conversation, and live webcast. This podcast is ideal for teachers struggling with implementing new technologies in the classroom. Together with fellow educators, they search for the most effective practices for studying, research, and technology; in addition, the podcast hosts review new media by testing it themselves.

The Teacher’s Podcast: The popular duo of Mark Gura and Dr. Kathy King explore recent news, research, and resources in the education world each week on The Teacher’s Podcast.  Together, Mark and Kathy are authors, professors, teachers, and education technology experts. The pair provides new and abundant resources for teachers and discusses methods of professional growth.

The Tenacious Teacher: Useful for all genres of teaching, The Tenacious Teacher is a podcast that provides strategies for everyday teaching and tools for managing responsibilities as an educator. This podcast is perfect for educators wanting to learn more about classroom dynamics and approaches for maintaining a productive classroom environment.

Teaching Tips by Teachtopia: Teaching Tips, by Teachtopia, serves teachers in grades K-12 and covers a variety of academic subjects, including science and math, language arts, social studies, and physical education. Each podcast focuses on a specific tip, either on a certain subject and or sometimes just on general teaching resources. Technology advice and help is also incorporated.

Teachers Connecting Podcast: Teachers Connecting Podcast focuses on providing new, unique lesson ideas, listening to fellow teachers’ stories, and exploring new technologies such as interactive whiteboards. One of their main focuses is the use of SMARTBoards and utilizing podcasts in teaching communities. This podcast has been rewarded honors such as Edublog Best Use of Audio 2007 and Microsoft Innovative Educators.

The Whole Child: The Whole Child is a podcast that recognizes the need for innovation and change in an education system rooted in the previous century. Technology has altered society rapidly, yet the education system remains the same. The Whole Child still recognizes the need to provide a solid foundation in the basic subjects (math, reading, writing, etc.), but also is pushing for a “whole child approach to teaching, learning, and community engagement.”

Haley McLeod is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on online universities for Guide to Online Schools.

Photo Credit: Electric Images

Saving Teachers Money

South Florida Museum is also offering teachers free admission to the Museum, Planetarium and Aquarium with ID.

Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center offers discounted tickets to county employees from all counties. Two tickets to select shows.

Mote Aquarium offers teachers one free admission with a pay stub.

The Limited offers 20% discounts  on all purchases to teachers with ID.

Jo Anne Fabrics offers an annual discount card, show your teacher ID to receive one and you will receive a one time discount of 20% and the annual discount card which gives you 15% off the rest of the time.

Sonnys BBQ offers a $5.00 off coupon on orders of $25 dollars when you join their online club.

*These are Teacher Deals I discovered through Florida Department of Education’s Just For Teachers as well as through online searches. Check with your School District website for special deals in your area.  Have a great summer!

Other Freebie Resources

FreeForTeachers

Mouse Savers (This one shows deals for Free Passes to Sea World for Teachers with a valid Florida Teaching certificate and a full time teaching job.)

Free Busch Gardens Pre School Passes.These are children’s passes which are  part of a promotion for Sesame Street Safari of Fun. The passes are good for any children 5 and under until Dec 31, 2010. Children must be five or under when you register.

Photo Credit: Tony Crider

This review is for the title Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea, by Alice Waters.

This book tells the story of how a garden transformed a middle school in crisis.

What started as a simple project blossomed into an elaborate legacy that has lasted for years. Through intense community, teacher and student involvement, along with Alice Waters’ commitment and vision, a middle school now has a food program that embraces students holistically throughout their entire careers at the school.

Others are taking this schoolyard’s lead and starting their own unique school gardens. I see this program as one that could also be used for therapeutic recreation purposes, or at the community level.

Check out Alice Waters’ book and be inspired.

Photo Credit: Chronicle Books.

Cast Away

This is part one of a two part series on Science Survivor Style

As a teacher it’s important to find projects and units of study that keep students interested and motivated. One unit of study I used with Science students in sixth grade was a Survivor Unit. This unit can easily be adapted to upper level students.

Day 1-3. I began the unit by showing the movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks. We then had class discussions about the experiences and situations that Tom Hanks character faced.

Day 4 I assigned the students to make a list of 1oo items that they would want to take with them to an uninhabited island. I instructed them to think carefully about what they would need to survive and thrive in such a difficult environment. I allowed them to talk in groups of four about their ideas for fifteen minutes before making their list. I also suggested to them that they should include at least a few luxury items such as as sport gear, books, a journal, a camera etc. It would be their choice which  luxury items were included, but they were limited to ten.

Day 5 We discussed and shared our lists ( I made one as well.) We noted items that we felt were essential and we discussed how people have different ideas about what might be essential and why.

Day 6  Narrow the  list to the top 30 items that will go to the island with you. The luxury items are now narrowed to three. ( I chose one tenth of the list.)  Finish with a class discussion about what makes the final list and why.

Science is a subject where scientific information and resources are always expanding and changing. One great option to expand your science content and knowledge is to use these online Science  News Services.

See part two of the series for the remaining unit and project plans.

Photo Credit Shayan USA Flickr

Classroom

Finding funding for educational projects and professional projects can be challenging so these two websites and the resources within them should give educators interested in finding grants something to cheer about.  The first website for those wanting to find a grant is Grants Alert.  I actually found this one through the Florida Department of Education. This one is a great resource for finding grants; as well as finding grant writers through their directory or just educating yourself about how to find grants. This website has a help section, which contains useful articles including, ”Tips and Ways to Raise Funds, ” “Developing Successful Corporate Partnerships,” and a very useful article called “Two Most Important Words.” They are all worth a read and will further your knowledge about grants and grant writing.

The second website, www.grants.gov offers a way to search for grants by category or agency or by more specific information such as funding type or eligibility. It also has very useful tools including, tracking your grant application and applicant resources. The site also links to the 26 federal grant making agencies through the Department of Health and Human Services.

Both of these websites should be instrumental in assisting people in finding grants, the grant application process and where to apply for grants. They each offer readers useful information that is well presented.

Photo Credit Allio