Friday, January 29, 2010
Internet Articles and Promotions
Internet Articles and Promotions: "Online Education,Educational Promotions,Online Education Finder,marketing services,affiliates programs,working in dubai,find out phone numbers,PayPal Digital..."
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Getting Kids to Read - Ten Terrific Tips
Teaching kids to read opens the world to them. They can go anywhere and do anything through books. But in today's age of high-tech gizmos and video games often the last thing our kids want to do is read. But there are some easy and fun ways you can share your love of reading with your kids. Implement these few simple ideas and your kids will be engrossed in a good bok before you know it.
Read to Them
Kids love being read aloud to. Cuddling up on the couch with a good book is a wonderful way to spend time with your child. Even older children like to be read to, especially while they are involved in other hands-on type activities.
Have a Hide Away
Make a reading corner in your house. Fix up a cozy corner with beanbag chairs, or a large overstuffed pillow, a small bookcase. You won't have to look far when they get quiet to find them.
Scatter Books Around the House
Leave books lying around. Place books in the bathroom, on their nightstands, in the living room and even in the kitchen. When they are bored they will pick them up out of curiosity.
Get a Library Card
Get them their own library card. Children love having their own library cards and checking out books they choose, on their own.
Got to the Library Often
Visit the library often. Schedule a regular library day, and just let them sit and read for a while in the library. Take advantage of your local library's programs, such as story times, to help capture a child's interest in books.
Throw Out Book Teasers
Drop tantalizing hints about a book. Start reading one yourself that your children might like and "share" some tempting tidbits. When they want to know what happens - say , "Oh you will have to read it for yourself, you won't believe it!"
Add Some Fun Extras
Extend the book. Add fun activities that go beyond a book. When reading Heidi, look for the countries on a map, eat Swiss cheese for lunch or make some soft rolls for grandmother.
Pull Out the VCR
Watch a video about a book. Then say, "I wonder how close that was to the book? Maybe we should read that."
Make Your Own Books
Let them make their own books. Younger children especially love this. Something as simple as plain paper stapled together becomes a timeless treasure when they write their own stories. Let younger children tell you the story and you write it out and they illustrate it.
Set An Example
You cannot expect your children to love somethin you don't. If you want your kids to be readers you have to be too. It can be books, magazines, or even lovely coffee table books full of pictures. Just let them see you reading and read often together.
About the Author
Belinda J Mooney is the mother of 7 and a freelance writer. She regularly writes for several parenting magazines including San Diego Family, Southern Families and Families First. You can subscribe to her free newsletter with links to crafts, educational resources, cooking with kids and more articles by her by sending a blank email to Learning Treasures. Or visiting her website at Learning Treasures. For a list of reprints and author information visit her at Belinda Mooney
Read to Them
Kids love being read aloud to. Cuddling up on the couch with a good book is a wonderful way to spend time with your child. Even older children like to be read to, especially while they are involved in other hands-on type activities.
Have a Hide Away
Make a reading corner in your house. Fix up a cozy corner with beanbag chairs, or a large overstuffed pillow, a small bookcase. You won't have to look far when they get quiet to find them.
Scatter Books Around the House
Leave books lying around. Place books in the bathroom, on their nightstands, in the living room and even in the kitchen. When they are bored they will pick them up out of curiosity.
Get a Library Card
Get them their own library card. Children love having their own library cards and checking out books they choose, on their own.
Got to the Library Often
Visit the library often. Schedule a regular library day, and just let them sit and read for a while in the library. Take advantage of your local library's programs, such as story times, to help capture a child's interest in books.
Throw Out Book Teasers
Drop tantalizing hints about a book. Start reading one yourself that your children might like and "share" some tempting tidbits. When they want to know what happens - say , "Oh you will have to read it for yourself, you won't believe it!"
Add Some Fun Extras
Extend the book. Add fun activities that go beyond a book. When reading Heidi, look for the countries on a map, eat Swiss cheese for lunch or make some soft rolls for grandmother.
Pull Out the VCR
Watch a video about a book. Then say, "I wonder how close that was to the book? Maybe we should read that."
Make Your Own Books
Let them make their own books. Younger children especially love this. Something as simple as plain paper stapled together becomes a timeless treasure when they write their own stories. Let younger children tell you the story and you write it out and they illustrate it.
Set An Example
You cannot expect your children to love somethin you don't. If you want your kids to be readers you have to be too. It can be books, magazines, or even lovely coffee table books full of pictures. Just let them see you reading and read often together.
About the Author
Belinda J Mooney is the mother of 7 and a freelance writer. She regularly writes for several parenting magazines including San Diego Family, Southern Families and Families First. You can subscribe to her free newsletter with links to crafts, educational resources, cooking with kids and more articles by her by sending a blank email to Learning Treasures. Or visiting her website at Learning Treasures. For a list of reprints and author information visit her at Belinda Mooney
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The School Bully Deserves Help
Vancouver, WA – 30 Percent of children in the United States are involved in school bullying according to National Youth Violence Prevention. That is 5.7 million American children who either are bullies or are picked on at school.
“We’ve forgotten to raise our kids with kindness,” says Aaron Taylor, father and author of the new book “The Pumpkin Goblin Makes Friends.” Taylor could blame the changing dynamic of the American family or he could point the finger at the internet for making bullying less personal. “It doesn’t matter to me why kids pick on each other,” he says. “I just want to be able to help stop it.”
Scholastic.com suggests the budding bully needs as much attention as the child who is being victimized. The website reports that being the aggressor as a pre-teen is likely to inhibit positive relationships later in life. In short, the school bully is just as likely to grow up traumatized as the victim.
Taylor’s book “The Pumpkin Goblin Makes Friends” is about a monster with a child’s heart who is inspired to stop picking on neighborhood children and to start mending the relationships he had damaged. "I feel it is very important for children to learn about the harmful affects of bullying at a young age", says Taylor. "If we can reach them before they experience it first-hand, our children will be able to identify and prevent this destructive behavior."
A Columbia University study finds bullying now starts as young as pre-school and intensifies as the angry child ages. More girls bully than boys, but boys tend to be more physical in their attacks. The study goes on to suggest the reason for bullying is the same as the result of it: low self esteem and a lack of friends.
“Reaching kids on their own level is the only way to stop the cycle,” says Taylor. “I geared this book toward young children to show them how unhappy the Pumpkin Goblin is when he picks on the neighborhood children. It isn’t until a little boy befriends him that the big bully realizes how much nicer it is to have friends rather than people who are afraid of you. A central message here is picking on others doesn’t make your pain go away.”
As with most children books, the moral is hidden among rhyming prose and colorful pictures. Taylor suggests reading the book with your young children.
“Give them the tools to not be a bully and give them the ideas of how to make a bully into a friend rather than a rival. Kindness and respect isn’t just the best thing for the kid being attacked - it’s the best thing for the bully too.”
About the Author
Aaron Taylor is the author of “The Pumpkin Goblin Makes Friends” and is currently at work on his second children’s book. Taylor has specialized in the delivery of financial advisory and valuation services since 1993. Currently he oversees and performs valuation and cost segregation projects including both real and personal property components. He currently lives in Vancouver, WA with his wife and 3 children. Taylor launched this book series to be a role model and inspire his own children to seize their dreams. www.PumpkinGoblin.com
“We’ve forgotten to raise our kids with kindness,” says Aaron Taylor, father and author of the new book “The Pumpkin Goblin Makes Friends.” Taylor could blame the changing dynamic of the American family or he could point the finger at the internet for making bullying less personal. “It doesn’t matter to me why kids pick on each other,” he says. “I just want to be able to help stop it.”
Scholastic.com suggests the budding bully needs as much attention as the child who is being victimized. The website reports that being the aggressor as a pre-teen is likely to inhibit positive relationships later in life. In short, the school bully is just as likely to grow up traumatized as the victim.
Taylor’s book “The Pumpkin Goblin Makes Friends” is about a monster with a child’s heart who is inspired to stop picking on neighborhood children and to start mending the relationships he had damaged. "I feel it is very important for children to learn about the harmful affects of bullying at a young age", says Taylor. "If we can reach them before they experience it first-hand, our children will be able to identify and prevent this destructive behavior."
A Columbia University study finds bullying now starts as young as pre-school and intensifies as the angry child ages. More girls bully than boys, but boys tend to be more physical in their attacks. The study goes on to suggest the reason for bullying is the same as the result of it: low self esteem and a lack of friends.
“Reaching kids on their own level is the only way to stop the cycle,” says Taylor. “I geared this book toward young children to show them how unhappy the Pumpkin Goblin is when he picks on the neighborhood children. It isn’t until a little boy befriends him that the big bully realizes how much nicer it is to have friends rather than people who are afraid of you. A central message here is picking on others doesn’t make your pain go away.”
As with most children books, the moral is hidden among rhyming prose and colorful pictures. Taylor suggests reading the book with your young children.
“Give them the tools to not be a bully and give them the ideas of how to make a bully into a friend rather than a rival. Kindness and respect isn’t just the best thing for the kid being attacked - it’s the best thing for the bully too.”
About the Author
Aaron Taylor is the author of “The Pumpkin Goblin Makes Friends” and is currently at work on his second children’s book. Taylor has specialized in the delivery of financial advisory and valuation services since 1993. Currently he oversees and performs valuation and cost segregation projects including both real and personal property components. He currently lives in Vancouver, WA with his wife and 3 children. Taylor launched this book series to be a role model and inspire his own children to seize their dreams. www.PumpkinGoblin.com
Super Moms Secrets for Raising a Child With ADD
Cases of Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD, have been on the rise in recent years. Doctors are finally realizing that a true physical disability can be present in both children and adults in order to cause them to have a reduced attention span and increased hyperactivity. If you're raising a child with ADD, what are some things you can do to help him cope with this condition, to still get a proper education, to learn boundaries, and to keep you from pulling out your own hair? There are some things you can remember when raising a child with ADD that will help with all these issues.
First, it's important to have a proper diagnosis when raising a child with ADD. Just because your child is inattentive or has a tremendous amount of energy doesn't mean he necessarily has ADD. If your child can sit and play video games for half an hour, chances are he doesn't have true ADD. Make sure you get a diagnosis from a doctor rather than just assuming you know what your child has.
Setting boundaries is still important when raising a child with ADD. It's tempting to think that since your child has an illness then he should just be allowed to run amok, but this is a mistake. Everyone needs to learn self-discipline and control regardless of how difficult it might be, and this is true when raising a child with ADD. While those boundaries may be more lax than with other children - you have them sit and do homework for five minutes instead of 30, for instance - you still need boundaries nonetheless. Talk to your child openly and honestly about these expectations. Tell him he needs to sit still for another few minutes before he can go play or do anything else. Set boundaries on their free time as well; this too is vitally important when raising a child with ADD. They may resist some structured activities or having to sit still but they need to understand that despite how difficult it is, they need to sometimes buckle down and show some self-control.
Every parent wants their child to be properly educated and this is true when raising a child with ADD, even though this presents some special considerations. It helps to break up lessons in shorter bursts of time rather than expect your child to sit still through hours of the same lesson. Schooling also needs to be more absorbing for a child with ADD as he will have a hard time allowing himself to be caught up in the lessons. Using visual aids and hands-on materials is always helpful for any child but even more so when raising a child with ADD. Getting out of the classroom and taking field trips helps to keep them involved with the lessons and attentive.
And as for yourself, remember that your child has a situation that is difficult. It's never easy raising a child with ADD but you need to show that much more patience every single day. Resist the urge to blame him for his lack of attention and remind yourself of how difficult it must be for him as well. Give yourself frequent breaks; walk away and do something else for a few minutes if you feel yourself getting irritated or impatient. It might also be beneficial to ask for some help; remember that you can't do everything by yourself. Let your child have some free time to himself where he can learn and explore on his own rather than thinking you need to structure every minute of every day. And don't hesitate to ask your doctor for help when raising a child with ADD. While you might hesitate to use medication, he or she can offer some further suggestions as to dietary changes and changes to your schedule that can help. Since they are always learning new information about children with ADD every single day, you may find that you can get some additional help for raising a child with ADD that you never expected.
About the Author
Blair Julia Critch
Married with two children: Jeremiah (4) and Noah (2)
Former Kindergarten Teacher
Current Home Maker/Entrepreneur
First, it's important to have a proper diagnosis when raising a child with ADD. Just because your child is inattentive or has a tremendous amount of energy doesn't mean he necessarily has ADD. If your child can sit and play video games for half an hour, chances are he doesn't have true ADD. Make sure you get a diagnosis from a doctor rather than just assuming you know what your child has.
Setting boundaries is still important when raising a child with ADD. It's tempting to think that since your child has an illness then he should just be allowed to run amok, but this is a mistake. Everyone needs to learn self-discipline and control regardless of how difficult it might be, and this is true when raising a child with ADD. While those boundaries may be more lax than with other children - you have them sit and do homework for five minutes instead of 30, for instance - you still need boundaries nonetheless. Talk to your child openly and honestly about these expectations. Tell him he needs to sit still for another few minutes before he can go play or do anything else. Set boundaries on their free time as well; this too is vitally important when raising a child with ADD. They may resist some structured activities or having to sit still but they need to understand that despite how difficult it is, they need to sometimes buckle down and show some self-control.
Every parent wants their child to be properly educated and this is true when raising a child with ADD, even though this presents some special considerations. It helps to break up lessons in shorter bursts of time rather than expect your child to sit still through hours of the same lesson. Schooling also needs to be more absorbing for a child with ADD as he will have a hard time allowing himself to be caught up in the lessons. Using visual aids and hands-on materials is always helpful for any child but even more so when raising a child with ADD. Getting out of the classroom and taking field trips helps to keep them involved with the lessons and attentive.
And as for yourself, remember that your child has a situation that is difficult. It's never easy raising a child with ADD but you need to show that much more patience every single day. Resist the urge to blame him for his lack of attention and remind yourself of how difficult it must be for him as well. Give yourself frequent breaks; walk away and do something else for a few minutes if you feel yourself getting irritated or impatient. It might also be beneficial to ask for some help; remember that you can't do everything by yourself. Let your child have some free time to himself where he can learn and explore on his own rather than thinking you need to structure every minute of every day. And don't hesitate to ask your doctor for help when raising a child with ADD. While you might hesitate to use medication, he or she can offer some further suggestions as to dietary changes and changes to your schedule that can help. Since they are always learning new information about children with ADD every single day, you may find that you can get some additional help for raising a child with ADD that you never expected.
About the Author
Blair Julia Critch
Married with two children: Jeremiah (4) and Noah (2)
Former Kindergarten Teacher
Current Home Maker/Entrepreneur
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Times Tables, the Key to Your Child’s Success?
Irvine, CA- When did you lose interest in math? Never had any? Maybe, but Eugenia Francis knows exactly when it started to happen to her son. The moment? The dread rite of passage all children face: the multiplication tables.
As her son struggled with endless drills, Francis realized there had to be a better way. Why not learn the tables in context of one another and emphasize the commutative property (i.e. 4 x 6 is the same as 6 x 4) of the multiplication tables? Francis drew a grid for tables 1-10 and discovered patterns for her son to decode. The mysteries of the times tables unfolded as a daily exploration of “magic” never discussed in his third-grade class. Their fridge eventually was papered with patterns that made the times tables intriguing. “Patterns made my son smile,” Francis says. “He could see the structure and knew he got it right.”
Ever the creative educator, Francis taught college English. “Patterns whether in literature or math,” she says, “reveal the underlying structure. There is an inherent simplicity in them, an inherent beauty. Math should engage your child’s imagination.”
At the kitchen table, Francis applied her skills to math. Why not learn the tables in order of difficulty? Tables 2, 4, 6 and 8 are easy to learn as they end in some combination of 2-4-6-8-0. Tables for odd numbers also have distinct patterns. Why not a more creative approach? Thus was born Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables, Fun, Fast and Easy with Dazzling Patterns, Grids and Tricks! (available on Amazon and www.TeaCHildMath.com ) and mom the entrepreneur.
Patterns appeal to children. Learning to recognize patterns teaches analytical skills. A review in California Homeschool News stated: “My daughter thinks it’s lots of fun. She’s already had quite a few ‘ah-ha moments as she recognizes and predicts the various patterns.” Patterns enhance recall. “Children with ADHD, dyslexia and autism do well with my method,” Francis says.
Parents and teachers must ensure children learn the multiplication tables. “Without them a child is doomed,” Francis states. A child who has not mastered the times tables has difficulty succeeding in mathematics beyond the third grade.
A recent editorial in the Los Angeles Times noted that failure to pass Algebra I was the “single biggest obstacle to high school graduation” and that failure to master the multiplication tables was one of the main reasons. A survey of California Algebra I teachers report that 30% of their students do not know the multiplication tables. It is hardly surprising then that fifteen-year olds in the U.S. rank near the bottom of industrialized nations in math skills.
“We have one of the highest high school dropout rates in the industrialized world,” Bill Gates stated. “If we keep the system as it is, millions of children will never get a chance to fulfill their promise because of their Zip Code, their skin color or their parents’ income. That is offensive to our values.”
Teachers must innovate and bring the magic of math into the classroom. Parents must do their part. “Parents have a huge influence over a third or fourth grader,” Francis states. “By high school it may be too late. Why not take the opportunity that teaching the multiplication tables provides to give your child a head start in math and develop analytical skills necessary for algebra? Mastery of the multiplication tables is essential to your child’s future.”
Francis published her innovative workbook to help other families. “If more of us would do for other people’s children what we do for our own, the world would be a better place.”
About the Author
Eugenia Francis taught English at the University of California at Irvine. Faced with the challenge of teaching her son the multiplication tables, she developed her own innovative method, discovering patterns to the multiplication tables. She has also published a Spanish edition of the workbook. Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables sells on Amazon in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany and Japan.
As her son struggled with endless drills, Francis realized there had to be a better way. Why not learn the tables in context of one another and emphasize the commutative property (i.e. 4 x 6 is the same as 6 x 4) of the multiplication tables? Francis drew a grid for tables 1-10 and discovered patterns for her son to decode. The mysteries of the times tables unfolded as a daily exploration of “magic” never discussed in his third-grade class. Their fridge eventually was papered with patterns that made the times tables intriguing. “Patterns made my son smile,” Francis says. “He could see the structure and knew he got it right.”
Ever the creative educator, Francis taught college English. “Patterns whether in literature or math,” she says, “reveal the underlying structure. There is an inherent simplicity in them, an inherent beauty. Math should engage your child’s imagination.”
At the kitchen table, Francis applied her skills to math. Why not learn the tables in order of difficulty? Tables 2, 4, 6 and 8 are easy to learn as they end in some combination of 2-4-6-8-0. Tables for odd numbers also have distinct patterns. Why not a more creative approach? Thus was born Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables, Fun, Fast and Easy with Dazzling Patterns, Grids and Tricks! (available on Amazon and www.TeaCHildMath.com ) and mom the entrepreneur.
Patterns appeal to children. Learning to recognize patterns teaches analytical skills. A review in California Homeschool News stated: “My daughter thinks it’s lots of fun. She’s already had quite a few ‘ah-ha moments as she recognizes and predicts the various patterns.” Patterns enhance recall. “Children with ADHD, dyslexia and autism do well with my method,” Francis says.
Parents and teachers must ensure children learn the multiplication tables. “Without them a child is doomed,” Francis states. A child who has not mastered the times tables has difficulty succeeding in mathematics beyond the third grade.
A recent editorial in the Los Angeles Times noted that failure to pass Algebra I was the “single biggest obstacle to high school graduation” and that failure to master the multiplication tables was one of the main reasons. A survey of California Algebra I teachers report that 30% of their students do not know the multiplication tables. It is hardly surprising then that fifteen-year olds in the U.S. rank near the bottom of industrialized nations in math skills.
“We have one of the highest high school dropout rates in the industrialized world,” Bill Gates stated. “If we keep the system as it is, millions of children will never get a chance to fulfill their promise because of their Zip Code, their skin color or their parents’ income. That is offensive to our values.”
Teachers must innovate and bring the magic of math into the classroom. Parents must do their part. “Parents have a huge influence over a third or fourth grader,” Francis states. “By high school it may be too late. Why not take the opportunity that teaching the multiplication tables provides to give your child a head start in math and develop analytical skills necessary for algebra? Mastery of the multiplication tables is essential to your child’s future.”
Francis published her innovative workbook to help other families. “If more of us would do for other people’s children what we do for our own, the world would be a better place.”
About the Author
Eugenia Francis taught English at the University of California at Irvine. Faced with the challenge of teaching her son the multiplication tables, she developed her own innovative method, discovering patterns to the multiplication tables. She has also published a Spanish edition of the workbook. Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables sells on Amazon in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany and Japan.
Monday, January 11, 2010
How to Improve Reading Comprehension with Self-Questioning
Everyone knows that to get the right answers you need to ask the right questions. Asking questions about the text as you read significantly improves reading comprehension. “Talking to the text” improves concentration and helps the reader interact with the author. Reading becomes a two-way active process, not a one-way passive activity.
But, what questions will produce the best understanding of the text? Try these eight questions to boost your reading comprehension and retention.
1. What’s the big picture here? Constantly ask how each reading section relates to the main idea(s) of the chapter.
2. What’s the author going to say next? Stay one step ahead of the author by anticipating what will be said next. Prediction significantly boosts reading comprehension. Check the outcomes of your predictions as you read.
3. Think about the “expert questions” that fit the subject about which you are reading. For example: History is big on compare and contrast, cause-effect and sequence related questions. Science can ask classification, chemical and physical properties and literature might focus on theme, genre, character, and plot.
4. What questions does this information raise for me? Your questions may and should differ from the expert question as they are related to your own background knowledge and your interests. Remember that some very good questions have more than one answer!
5. What information is important here? As you read, decide which information is important enough to include in your notes.
6. How can I paraphrase and summarize this information? Translate the author’s important words into your own. Use as few words as possible without changing the meaning. Do this at the end of each subtitle section in a textbook or at the end of the chapter in a novel.
7. How does this information fit with what I already know? Think about the “big picture” and how pieces of information fit together to improve reading comprehension.
8. Ask WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and WHY questions as you read. Note introduction and description of characters, major plot changes, setting descriptions and changes, and reasons given to explain important ideas.
About the Author
Mark Pennington is an educational author, presenter, reading specialist, and middle school teacher. Mark is committed to differentiated instruction for the diverse needs of today's students. Visit Mark’s website at http://www.penningtonpublishing.com to check out his reading comprehension teacher resources and books: Teaching Reading Strategies, Teaching Essay Strategies, Teaching Grammar and Mechanics, and Teaching Spelling and Vocabulary.
But, what questions will produce the best understanding of the text? Try these eight questions to boost your reading comprehension and retention.
1. What’s the big picture here? Constantly ask how each reading section relates to the main idea(s) of the chapter.
2. What’s the author going to say next? Stay one step ahead of the author by anticipating what will be said next. Prediction significantly boosts reading comprehension. Check the outcomes of your predictions as you read.
3. Think about the “expert questions” that fit the subject about which you are reading. For example: History is big on compare and contrast, cause-effect and sequence related questions. Science can ask classification, chemical and physical properties and literature might focus on theme, genre, character, and plot.
4. What questions does this information raise for me? Your questions may and should differ from the expert question as they are related to your own background knowledge and your interests. Remember that some very good questions have more than one answer!
5. What information is important here? As you read, decide which information is important enough to include in your notes.
6. How can I paraphrase and summarize this information? Translate the author’s important words into your own. Use as few words as possible without changing the meaning. Do this at the end of each subtitle section in a textbook or at the end of the chapter in a novel.
7. How does this information fit with what I already know? Think about the “big picture” and how pieces of information fit together to improve reading comprehension.
8. Ask WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and WHY questions as you read. Note introduction and description of characters, major plot changes, setting descriptions and changes, and reasons given to explain important ideas.
About the Author
Mark Pennington is an educational author, presenter, reading specialist, and middle school teacher. Mark is committed to differentiated instruction for the diverse needs of today's students. Visit Mark’s website at http://www.penningtonpublishing.com to check out his reading comprehension teacher resources and books: Teaching Reading Strategies, Teaching Essay Strategies, Teaching Grammar and Mechanics, and Teaching Spelling and Vocabulary.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Ideas for Teaching Space and the Solar System
The mere mention of space and the solar system causes some students to overflow with excitement, while others immediately begin fighting back tears of boredom. Oddly enough, the same thing happens to many teachers. The best way to keep everyone enthused and interested in space and solar system lessons is to put some creativity in the classroom.
Comprehensive Lesson
One creative idea for teaching space and the solar system is to incorporate the lessons into other subjects. The following are ideas for working the lesson into more than just science:
• Math. Students can calculate their weight on other planets. This will help reinforce the planet names, teach them about the different gravities on other planets, and use math skills. Students can also divide into teams for math races. Instead of scoring points, they move their space shuttle closer to the destination planet. They can also start at Mercury and move all the way through the solar system, with the winning team being the one to get to the end first.
• Reading. Students can read stories about space or that are set in space. There are many stories, fiction and non-fiction, at every grade level that can be used.
• Writing. You can have students write poems or stories about space, the solar system, or specific planets. Creative writing could even involve writing from the perspective of someone from another planet visiting Earth for the first time.
• Art. Students can draw or paint the planets. They can also make mobiles of the solar system or space collages.
Specific Ideas
More creative ideas for teaching space and the solar system include:
• You can kick off or wrap up the space and solar system lesson with a space-themed party. For drinks, you could serve Rocket-Fuel by either making red punch or buying ready-made fruit punch, or you could serve Tang, the “official” drink of astronauts. Astronaut ice cream and astronaut candy are readily available for purchase. You could also serve star-shaped cookies.
• Use fluorescent markers or paint to mark the stars of constellations on a bulletin board. Use string, chalk, or a light-colored marker to connect the stars into the shape of the constellation as you tell the students about it.
• A great math-related activity is to have students plot coordinates for constellations on graph paper. The teacher reads the plot points aloud, and students plot them. They finish by connecting the dots to form the constellation.
• One way to help students understand the size differences in the planets is to relate them to familiar objects. The following is a list of representations that work well: Mercury-a marble, Venus-a walnut, Earth-golf ball, Mars-acorn, Jupiter-basketball, Saturn-soccer ball, Uranus-softball, Neptune-grapefruit, Pluto-bean, Earth’s moon-raisin. These can also be used for size guides for paper maché planets, which can be made by teams of students.
In addition to these ideas, there are numerous online activities and computer-based games that for teaching space and the solar system. Space and solar system units offer an opportunity to include a great deal of fun and games in the learning process. Teachers who take advantage of that opportunity will have students who enjoy learning about space and the solar system.
About the Author
Robert McKenzie is a teacher and writer on Education and testing. Visit his Teaching Science website for Creative ideas for Teaching Space and the Solar System
Comprehensive Lesson
One creative idea for teaching space and the solar system is to incorporate the lessons into other subjects. The following are ideas for working the lesson into more than just science:
• Math. Students can calculate their weight on other planets. This will help reinforce the planet names, teach them about the different gravities on other planets, and use math skills. Students can also divide into teams for math races. Instead of scoring points, they move their space shuttle closer to the destination planet. They can also start at Mercury and move all the way through the solar system, with the winning team being the one to get to the end first.
• Reading. Students can read stories about space or that are set in space. There are many stories, fiction and non-fiction, at every grade level that can be used.
• Writing. You can have students write poems or stories about space, the solar system, or specific planets. Creative writing could even involve writing from the perspective of someone from another planet visiting Earth for the first time.
• Art. Students can draw or paint the planets. They can also make mobiles of the solar system or space collages.
Specific Ideas
More creative ideas for teaching space and the solar system include:
• You can kick off or wrap up the space and solar system lesson with a space-themed party. For drinks, you could serve Rocket-Fuel by either making red punch or buying ready-made fruit punch, or you could serve Tang, the “official” drink of astronauts. Astronaut ice cream and astronaut candy are readily available for purchase. You could also serve star-shaped cookies.
• Use fluorescent markers or paint to mark the stars of constellations on a bulletin board. Use string, chalk, or a light-colored marker to connect the stars into the shape of the constellation as you tell the students about it.
• A great math-related activity is to have students plot coordinates for constellations on graph paper. The teacher reads the plot points aloud, and students plot them. They finish by connecting the dots to form the constellation.
• One way to help students understand the size differences in the planets is to relate them to familiar objects. The following is a list of representations that work well: Mercury-a marble, Venus-a walnut, Earth-golf ball, Mars-acorn, Jupiter-basketball, Saturn-soccer ball, Uranus-softball, Neptune-grapefruit, Pluto-bean, Earth’s moon-raisin. These can also be used for size guides for paper maché planets, which can be made by teams of students.
In addition to these ideas, there are numerous online activities and computer-based games that for teaching space and the solar system. Space and solar system units offer an opportunity to include a great deal of fun and games in the learning process. Teachers who take advantage of that opportunity will have students who enjoy learning about space and the solar system.
About the Author
Robert McKenzie is a teacher and writer on Education and testing. Visit his Teaching Science website for Creative ideas for Teaching Space and the Solar System
Saturday, January 2, 2010
How to Get a 12 on the SAT Essay
The SAT essay can produce time management challenges and difficulties for SAT-takers. Many students score poorly on this section; however, using the AEC TP IT 2B RCP strategies will help SAT-takers significantly increase their SAT scores on the SAT essay section.
Prewriting (5 minutes)
Spend no more than five minutes on the AEC TP planning. You get no points for planning.
1. First, read the one-sentence question that begins the Assignment section. This is the critical writing direction for your essay. Ignore reading the rest of the Assignment section.
2. Next, read the text of the boxed Excerpt above. The excerpt provides some background information on an issue to help you frame your thesis statement. This excerpt appears after the Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below direction. Don’t bother to read the citation, unless you want to quote from it later in the essay.
3. Read the Assignment again and Circle the subject of the essay.
4. Write a one-sentence Thesis Statement as a declarative statement at the bottom of the essay directions page. A good thesis statement will mention the subject, will state the key words of the writing prompt, and will directly respond to the writing prompt with a specific point of view. Decide whether the prompt calls for more of an explanatory or argumentative response. Do not write a split (divided) thesis. Do not take an overly-controversial point of view.
5. Quickly Prewrite the two body paragraphs underneath your thesis statement, using key words for the two topic sentences and the two or three major details for each body paragraph.
DRAFTING (17 minutes)
6. Turn to the Section 1 Essay Box at the beginning of the answer sheets. You will compose your four paragraph essay on these lines. Indent all paragraphs, beginning with the Introduction. Your Introduction should consist of three-sentences. Select two appropriate Instruction Strategies from the list below as your first two sentences, using connecting transition words.
Introduction Strategies BAD RAP
1. Background—Sentences that briefly explain the setting or help your reader better understand the thesis statement.
2. Question to be Answered—A sentence worded as a question that asks either a question needing no answer (rhetorical question) or a question to make the reader think of a question that will be answered in the essay.
3. Definition— Sentences that explain the meaning of a key word that may be unfamiliar to the reader or help to narrow the focus of the subject.
4. Reference to Something Known in Common—Sentences that refer to a fact or idea already known by most people, including your reader.
5. Quote from an Authority—Sentences that quote an authority in the subject of the essay. It must list the name of the authority.
6. Preview of Topic Sentences—Sentences that list the subjects of each body paragraph topic sentence in the order they appear in the essay.
7. Write the Thesis Statement after the two Introduction Strategy sentences, revising as needed from the Prewrite. This is the last sentence of your three-sentence introduction.
8. Referring to the Prewrite, compose the 2 Body Paragraphs, beginning each with a topic sentence. The topic sentence appears in the first position of a body paragraph 80% of the time. Consider the fact that your readers expect your essay to conform to this standard and place the topic sentence as the first sentence of your body paragraphs as is expected. Don’t surprise your reader. Make sure that your topic sentence expresses the main idea of the body paragraph as a declarative statement and is not a subset of any major detail within the paragraph.
9. Your body paragraphs should include two or three major details, each supported by two or three minor details. These detail sentences must include both evidence and your analysis of the evidence. Skip two lines after each body paragraph to allow for later revision. The subject matter of the prompt will be general enough for you to cite evidence from the following sources:
-your personal experiences
-content from middle school and high school classes
-content from literature
-current and past events
Vary the types of evidence that you present. No one is convicted for first-degree murder based upon one type of evidence alone, such as fingerprint evidence. Use several types of evidence from the following list to convince the reader of your point of view.
Types of Evidence CeF SCALE
A comparison means to show how the subject is like something else in a meaningful way.
An experience used as evidence may be a commonly known event or an event of which there is limited knowledge.
A fact means something actually said or done. Use quotes for direct or indirect quotations.
A statistic is a numerical figure that represents evidence gained from scientific research.
A counterpoint states an argument against your thesis statement and then provides evidence against that argument.
An appeal to authority is a reference from an authority on a certain subject.
Logic means to use deductive (general to specific) or inductive (specific to general) reasoning to prove a point.
An example is a subset typical of a category or group.
10. Compose a Thesis Restatement as the first sentence of your conclusion paragraph. In other words, state your thesis statement in a different way that will lead smoothly into your two Conclusion Strategy sentences. Make sure that your thesis restatement covers the whole prompt, not just part. Select two Conclusion Strategies and use transition words to connect, if needed. Leave the readers with a finished, polished feel to your essay. Do not add any additional evidence to your conclusion.
Conclusion Strategies
1. Generalization—Sentences that make one of your specific points more general in focus.
2. Question for Further Study—Sentences that mention a related subject or question that is beyond the focus of the essay.
3. Synthesis of Main Points—Sentences that pull together the points proven in the essay to say something new.
4. Application—Sentences that apply the proven thesis statement to another idea or issue.
5. Argument Limitations—Sentences that explain how or why your conclusions are limited.
6. Emphasis of Key Point—Sentences that mention and add importance to one of the points of your essay.
7. Statement of Significance—Sentences that discuss the importance and relevance of the proven thesis statement.
Proofread (3 minutes)
11. Save no more than three minutes to Proofread the entire essay. If the body paragraphs need an additional sentence, add it in on the skipped lines. The readers understand that your essay is a rough draft, so using editing marks is certainly appropriate. Squeeze additions in above the line, rather than in the margins. Don’t take risks with spelling and vocabulary words.
Writing Style
-Write neatly in print or cursive. Don’t write too small or too large.
-Don’t use big vocabulary. Keep your writing concise and simple.
-Although the SAT publishers say that the readers will not mark down for use of the first person voice, use only third-person pronouns to emphasize objectivity.
-Although the SAT publishers say that the readers will not mark down for use of narrative elements, avoid mixing the writing domains and stick with exposition.
-Don’t try to be unique—no raps or poetry please. Write in formal essay style.
-Don’t include slang, idioms (figures of speech), contractions, abbreviations, strings of prepositional phrases, or parenthetical remarks.
-Keep pronoun references close to subjects in long sentences to make them clear. Make sure to keep pronoun references in number agreement.
-Avoid passive voice.
-Use specific and concrete nouns. Avoid general and abstract nouns.
-Don’t split infinitives, end sentences with prepositions, or use intentional fragments.
-Avoid gender-specific pronoun references by making them plural.
-Don’t write a concluding statement at the end of body paragraphs.
-Don’t overuse the “to-be” verbs. Maintain the same verb tense throughout the essay and limit your use of the “to-be” verbs to no more than two per body paragraph. “To-be” Verbs: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been
-Don’t rely on adjectives to do the job of solid nouns and verbs.
-Vary your sentence length and sentence structure.
-Vary your grammatical structures by including a variety of Sentence Openers. Frequently, writers over-rely on the Subject-Verb-Object (Complement) pattern.
About the Author
Mark Pennington is an educational author, presenter, reading specialist, and middle school teacher. Mark is committed to differentiated instruction for the diverse needs of today's students. Visit Mark’s website at http://www.penningtonpublishing.com to check out his SAT essay teacher resources and books: Teaching Reading Strategies, Teaching Essay Strategies, Teaching Grammar and Mechanics, and Teaching Spelling and Vocabulary.
Prewriting (5 minutes)
Spend no more than five minutes on the AEC TP planning. You get no points for planning.
1. First, read the one-sentence question that begins the Assignment section. This is the critical writing direction for your essay. Ignore reading the rest of the Assignment section.
2. Next, read the text of the boxed Excerpt above. The excerpt provides some background information on an issue to help you frame your thesis statement. This excerpt appears after the Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below direction. Don’t bother to read the citation, unless you want to quote from it later in the essay.
3. Read the Assignment again and Circle the subject of the essay.
4. Write a one-sentence Thesis Statement as a declarative statement at the bottom of the essay directions page. A good thesis statement will mention the subject, will state the key words of the writing prompt, and will directly respond to the writing prompt with a specific point of view. Decide whether the prompt calls for more of an explanatory or argumentative response. Do not write a split (divided) thesis. Do not take an overly-controversial point of view.
5. Quickly Prewrite the two body paragraphs underneath your thesis statement, using key words for the two topic sentences and the two or three major details for each body paragraph.
DRAFTING (17 minutes)
6. Turn to the Section 1 Essay Box at the beginning of the answer sheets. You will compose your four paragraph essay on these lines. Indent all paragraphs, beginning with the Introduction. Your Introduction should consist of three-sentences. Select two appropriate Instruction Strategies from the list below as your first two sentences, using connecting transition words.
Introduction Strategies BAD RAP
1. Background—Sentences that briefly explain the setting or help your reader better understand the thesis statement.
2. Question to be Answered—A sentence worded as a question that asks either a question needing no answer (rhetorical question) or a question to make the reader think of a question that will be answered in the essay.
3. Definition— Sentences that explain the meaning of a key word that may be unfamiliar to the reader or help to narrow the focus of the subject.
4. Reference to Something Known in Common—Sentences that refer to a fact or idea already known by most people, including your reader.
5. Quote from an Authority—Sentences that quote an authority in the subject of the essay. It must list the name of the authority.
6. Preview of Topic Sentences—Sentences that list the subjects of each body paragraph topic sentence in the order they appear in the essay.
7. Write the Thesis Statement after the two Introduction Strategy sentences, revising as needed from the Prewrite. This is the last sentence of your three-sentence introduction.
8. Referring to the Prewrite, compose the 2 Body Paragraphs, beginning each with a topic sentence. The topic sentence appears in the first position of a body paragraph 80% of the time. Consider the fact that your readers expect your essay to conform to this standard and place the topic sentence as the first sentence of your body paragraphs as is expected. Don’t surprise your reader. Make sure that your topic sentence expresses the main idea of the body paragraph as a declarative statement and is not a subset of any major detail within the paragraph.
9. Your body paragraphs should include two or three major details, each supported by two or three minor details. These detail sentences must include both evidence and your analysis of the evidence. Skip two lines after each body paragraph to allow for later revision. The subject matter of the prompt will be general enough for you to cite evidence from the following sources:
-your personal experiences
-content from middle school and high school classes
-content from literature
-current and past events
Vary the types of evidence that you present. No one is convicted for first-degree murder based upon one type of evidence alone, such as fingerprint evidence. Use several types of evidence from the following list to convince the reader of your point of view.
Types of Evidence CeF SCALE
A comparison means to show how the subject is like something else in a meaningful way.
An experience used as evidence may be a commonly known event or an event of which there is limited knowledge.
A fact means something actually said or done. Use quotes for direct or indirect quotations.
A statistic is a numerical figure that represents evidence gained from scientific research.
A counterpoint states an argument against your thesis statement and then provides evidence against that argument.
An appeal to authority is a reference from an authority on a certain subject.
Logic means to use deductive (general to specific) or inductive (specific to general) reasoning to prove a point.
An example is a subset typical of a category or group.
10. Compose a Thesis Restatement as the first sentence of your conclusion paragraph. In other words, state your thesis statement in a different way that will lead smoothly into your two Conclusion Strategy sentences. Make sure that your thesis restatement covers the whole prompt, not just part. Select two Conclusion Strategies and use transition words to connect, if needed. Leave the readers with a finished, polished feel to your essay. Do not add any additional evidence to your conclusion.
Conclusion Strategies
1. Generalization—Sentences that make one of your specific points more general in focus.
2. Question for Further Study—Sentences that mention a related subject or question that is beyond the focus of the essay.
3. Synthesis of Main Points—Sentences that pull together the points proven in the essay to say something new.
4. Application—Sentences that apply the proven thesis statement to another idea or issue.
5. Argument Limitations—Sentences that explain how or why your conclusions are limited.
6. Emphasis of Key Point—Sentences that mention and add importance to one of the points of your essay.
7. Statement of Significance—Sentences that discuss the importance and relevance of the proven thesis statement.
Proofread (3 minutes)
11. Save no more than three minutes to Proofread the entire essay. If the body paragraphs need an additional sentence, add it in on the skipped lines. The readers understand that your essay is a rough draft, so using editing marks is certainly appropriate. Squeeze additions in above the line, rather than in the margins. Don’t take risks with spelling and vocabulary words.
Writing Style
-Write neatly in print or cursive. Don’t write too small or too large.
-Don’t use big vocabulary. Keep your writing concise and simple.
-Although the SAT publishers say that the readers will not mark down for use of the first person voice, use only third-person pronouns to emphasize objectivity.
-Although the SAT publishers say that the readers will not mark down for use of narrative elements, avoid mixing the writing domains and stick with exposition.
-Don’t try to be unique—no raps or poetry please. Write in formal essay style.
-Don’t include slang, idioms (figures of speech), contractions, abbreviations, strings of prepositional phrases, or parenthetical remarks.
-Keep pronoun references close to subjects in long sentences to make them clear. Make sure to keep pronoun references in number agreement.
-Avoid passive voice.
-Use specific and concrete nouns. Avoid general and abstract nouns.
-Don’t split infinitives, end sentences with prepositions, or use intentional fragments.
-Avoid gender-specific pronoun references by making them plural.
-Don’t write a concluding statement at the end of body paragraphs.
-Don’t overuse the “to-be” verbs. Maintain the same verb tense throughout the essay and limit your use of the “to-be” verbs to no more than two per body paragraph. “To-be” Verbs: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been
-Don’t rely on adjectives to do the job of solid nouns and verbs.
-Vary your sentence length and sentence structure.
-Vary your grammatical structures by including a variety of Sentence Openers. Frequently, writers over-rely on the Subject-Verb-Object (Complement) pattern.
About the Author
Mark Pennington is an educational author, presenter, reading specialist, and middle school teacher. Mark is committed to differentiated instruction for the diverse needs of today's students. Visit Mark’s website at http://www.penningtonpublishing.com to check out his SAT essay teacher resources and books: Teaching Reading Strategies, Teaching Essay Strategies, Teaching Grammar and Mechanics, and Teaching Spelling and Vocabulary.
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