World Book Day is a "a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. In fact, it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world. Thanks to the generosity of National Book Tokens Ltd, publishers and booksellers, we can send millions of book vouchers to children and young people (more than 14 million, in fact: that’s one for nearly every child aged under eighteen in the country)."  You can find all the information about World Book Day on their website, including  Nursery Resources, Primary Resources, and Secondary Resources.





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While perusing the Computer Technology Edmodo group, I came across FlipQuiz, which is currently in beta. Teachers can use FlipQuiz to create quiz boards, which are great for reviewing before a test. Although the board looks like Jeopardy, students do not have to answer in the form of a question. Use the boards in place of flash cards, and students can connect to your board anywhere they have Internet access. Teachers are able to use their boards over and over, and the best part is that it is free!

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It's not exactly taught in every American high school, mainly because it is more difficult to learn than Spanish, French or Italian. Japanese can be found on the college level, especially when business majors are looking to work for a Japanese company. A friend of mine who is CPA learned Japanese for his job. At any age, it is a challenging language.



RESOURCES
About Japan-from the Japan Society; from Haiku to Japanese architecture

American Association of Teachers of Japanese

Basics of Japanese Culture

The Japan Foundation- featured Websites and resources

Northeast Council of Teachers of Japanese- covers the east coast of the United States

LESSON PLANS / ACTIVITIES / VIDEOS
Basic Phrases in Japanese- mp3 files for students to listen

Complete Guide to Japanese

Japanese Foreign Language Worksheets and Printables for Kids- from Education.com; beginners

Japanese Grammar/Expressions Lessons- many resources from About.com

Japanese Grammar Guide

Japanese Lesson Plans- from TeAchnology- worksheets, puzzles all about Japan

JapanesePod101- large video collection on their youtube channel

Learn Japanese- flash cards, activities, videos







Lesson Plans on Japan- covers art, culture, education, geography, history, literature, politics, religion

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Time to plan ahead! One week from this Monday is Dr. Seuss' birthday! As many of you know by now, my mega-holiday listing of teacher resources can be found in this posting. Every time I update a listing, (like this one) the original post will also be updated. Today's Dr. Seuss post has many videos added, so you can have your students watch a video of their favorite book. You can also find coloring pages, printables, games, activities and much more below!

READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY
(Dr. Seuss' Birthday-March 2nd)

33 Ideas For Read Across America- printables and freebies

A to Z Teacher Stuff

The Art of Dr. Seuss

Batholemew and Oobleck

Crafts to Make- nice list from Family Crafts



Dr. Seuss Activities- for 15 Dr. Seuss books

Dr. Seuss Cloze Activity- from Enchanted Learning

Dr. Seuss Printables- from ABC Teach

Dr. Seuss Soundwords- playing with phonics and spelling



Just for KindergartenersMeeting and Reading Dr. Seuss- lesson plans for Dr. Seuss week

Math Stories: Dr. Seuss

Scavenger Hunt

Seuss Celebration Week- fun things to do each day of the week

Seuss Dude- board games, Dr. Seuss book club, lesson plans



Seussical the Musical- official site for the Broadway show


Teacher Planet- lessons and printablesTeaching Phonograms Through "The Sneeches" by Dr. Seuss- for first grade

The Virtual Vine- activities, websites, games related to Dr. Seuss' books

Who's Who and What's What in the Books of Dr. Seuss- downloadable glossary in pdf format

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Students in one of our special education classes are currently creating brochures for a project, and needed to know how to set up their document in Word. The steps below are very basic and easy to follow.


Open a new document and choose PAGE LAYOUT > LANDSCAPE

Click on COLUMNS > THREE

Although there are no visible lines, I have drawn them to show you the columns.

The second page does not need three columns, unless you want
to section off your information into different areas.

YOU ARE DONE!!

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It's now the 4th year of the Google Science Fair, and students who are 13-18 years old are encouraged to enter. In partnership with Virgin GalacticScientific AmericanLEGO Education and National Geographic, this competition has seen incredible inventions, including a battery-free flashlight,  and an anti-flu medicine. Deadline is May 12, 2014. Here's a video clip of 17 year old Eric Chen, who is working on an anti-flu medicine.


Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


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Currently, Language Arts teachers have their own tab at the top of this page, with resources on Digital Storytelling, Shakespeare and Poetry. Today I have updated the list to also have lesson plans and resources for all grade levels. The most recent list is below. As always, please share your additions by commenting below.

LESSON PLANS 
10 Great Language Arts Lessons- from We Are Teachers; 

Discovery Education Lesson Plans-covers grades 9-12; over 500 listed!

English and Language Arts-Based Lesson Plans-the Lesson Plans Page; grades noted when you choose the lesson


Growing Up With Crayons-lesson for upper elementary/middle school level; from EBSCO

Interactive Whiteboard Activities- from Scholastic; grades K-9

Language Arts Lessons- from ReadWriteThink; covers K-12 (grades are labeled)

Language Arts Lesson Plans-from TeAchnology


Literature and Language Arts Lessons- from EDSITEment; grades K-12


PBS Learning Media-covers English Language Arts and Literacy; all grades; choose from many subcategories


Smithsonian Education-varied topics cover grades K-12


Spelling City Lesson Plans- vocabulary; videos, worksheets, games


Teachit Lesson Plans- vast number of resources!


Top 25 Lesson Plans for 2011- from Thinkfinity; grades are labeled- K-12


RESOURCES AND GAMES
Cliche Finder- 3,300 index cliches

Common Core English Language Arts Resources- from ShareMyLesson

Curriki's Language Arts Resources-small listing covers all grades

English ELA Review Games- pick your grade level

Funbrain Game Finder

Grammar, Usage and Mechanics- from Writer's Choice; grade 9

Guide to Grammar and Writing- over 400 references

Hemingway- students can analyze their writing with this app

Integrating Technology into the Language Arts classroom

Language Arts for Middle and High School- long listing

Language Arts Games on Gamequairium

Middle School Reading Interactives- listing includes language interactives, grammar help, general comprehension stories and much more

Online Language Arts Games- from TeacherVision

PicLits- inspired picture writing

Popular Technology Resources for Reading and Language Arts- covers K-12; from TeacherVision

Powerpoint Presentations on Authors- for grades K-6

Reading, Writing, Grammar- Mr. Donn's extensive site is loaded with resources for K-12

Teaching English as a Language- from Web English Teacher; links for ELL and ESL teachers

We Are Teachers- reading, grammar, spelling vocabulary

Writing Prompts- huge listing of resources!

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So many things have changed in our profession; the card catalog is a thing of the past. Computers now handle everything from book circulation to inventory, and when the electrical power or Internet fails us, work comes to a standstill. Beginning today and every Thursday after, I will be posting cool photos and graphics from yesteryear. Please share your own photos and links below.




I am going to add this poster to my retro library poster collection!











Elvis Presley took out this book in 1948 when he was in 8th grade!















Really tall card catalog, or short librarian?








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I saw this video on Larry Ferlazzo's website about the importance of libraries. It will move you for sure. Please share with other librarians.

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When I attended elementary school in New York City, I was placed in French classes in 4th grade. Didn't have a choice. Some of us went to Spanish class and some went to French. So began my 8 years of study, which ended in 11th grade, when it became too hard and I just gave up. Today, as a media specialist teaching in a 7-12 public school with a large Hispanic population, the subject of French was recently dropped from our curriculum. As I work to complete the World Languages page on this blog, (Spanish and Italian are done) here are my choices for the best sites for teaching French.

RESOURCES
American Association of Teachers of French

Chez Renee

eTools for Language Teachers- site caters to beginner French

French Newspapers and Magazines- from ipl2

Le Figaro- online news, sports, French culture

Le Monde- newspaper

Nice Matin- daily news of the French Riveria, Cote D'Azur, Var and Corse

Radio France

TV5Monde- grammar and vocabulary

LESSON PLANS / GAMES / PUZZLES

Digital Dialects: French Language- interactive games include these subject areas: colors, clothing, food, verbs, numbers, animals and much more

French Bingo Games- Hello,World lets you choose from many different categories, including clothing, animals, food, birds, school, home

French Lesson Plans- from TeAchnology; nice listing

French Lesson Plans- from ShareMyLesson

French Lesson Plans and Resources

French Lesson Plans for Secondary Grades 6-12- from BigHub Education

French Teacher Resources- from Lesson Planet

French Word Searches

Fun Learning French Games

Interactive French Lessons- from the BBC; students learn primary French

Les Chevaliers du Château des Champions- French teacher shares students' work; shares lessons and resource link

Step-by-Step French Lessons - for younger learners

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I've always known that my library budget was very limited, but I would like to work on getting more money. (Wouldn't we all?) In order to have the facts on my side, I need you to take a quick anonymous survey. Once I have enough information, I will use it to campaign for more money. Thank you for taking a moment to help out.




Elementary school teachers take note: your search for ideas and activities has ended. I have collected a list of worksheets, activities, puzzles, games and coloring pages to celebrate Valentine's Day. Certain items apply just to K-2 students.

A to Z Teacher Stuff Valentine's Day Resources

Activities For Valentine's Day- nice list from Internet4Classrooms


HotChalk Lesson Plans Page- lesson plans and resources for Valentine's Day; many class subject areas covered

How to Make a Heart Pocket


Jan Brett Valentine Selections- from the author

One Heart, Two Hearts- a Valentine's Day book


Valentine Reading for Kids

Valentine's Day- from Education World

Valentine's Day- math problems from the Franklin Institute

Valentine's Day Chemistry

Valentine's Day Crafts- also has recipes; nice list

Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids- from Danielle's Place

Valentine's Day Ideas- from Kinderteacher

A Wrinkled Heart Activity- for kindergarten

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If this is the first time you our visiting the blog, welcome. My name is Julie Greller, and I'm a media specialist for grades 7-12 in a New Jersey public school. I'm always trying to find great free resources for K-12 teachers, and keep an especially large collection for my fellow school-librarians/media specialist. (Check out the tab at the top) Below you will find a list of the top ten posts I have made since I started the blog here three years ago. Feel free to drop me an email if you are looking for specific resources you don't see here. My email is cybrarian77 AT gmail DOT com.


1. 39 Sites For Using iPad in the Classroom

2. 35 Social Networking Programs Other Than Facebook and Twitter

3. 10 Places to Find Back to School Templates

4. 64 Sites for Digital Storytelling Tools and Information

5. 10 Resources for Book Report Templates

6. 24 Places to Find Bulletin Board Display Ideas

7. Why Not Use Political Cartoons in Your Teaching? Here Are 15 Places to Find Them

8. Thousands of Science Fair Project Ideas! Find Them on These 25 Web Sites

9. 44 Things That Are All About Dewey (The Dewey Decimal System, That Is)

10. Let's Teach Our Children About Copyright: 15 Sites Which Can Assist You





Why not subscribe to this blog or follow me on Twitter.

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If you teach grades K-8,  I hope that you have utilized the mega holiday resources  I originally posted back in August 2011. This list covers September through June and is constantly updated. Today's post on Presidents' Day can also be found on the megalist.

Abraham Lincoln Videos- from History.com

Abraham Lincoln: Learning Games and Activities For Kids


Abraham Lincoln's Crossroads- interact with Lincoln


Activities, Worksheets and Crafts For Presidents' Day
- from Enchanted Learning


American Presidents- life portraits

Biography: Abraham Lincoln- full episode from Bio.com


The Cherry Tree- from Apples4theTeacher; story about Washington and the cherry tree




Educational Videos on Presidents' Day- from WatchKnowLearn





George Washington- History.com has videos, photos

George Washington Interactive- from the Smithsonian


George Washington PowerPoint Presentations


Happy Birthday Mr. President- online story for young children



Inside the White House- from National Geographic

A Kid's Heart-puzzles and games are here

Washington vs Lincoln


























































































































































Abraham Lincoln: The Life of a Legend
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Listen and Read: The Path of a President- from Scholastic

National Geographic- Abraham Lincoln video




Presidential Seal- download to color


Presidents' Day- list of activities, lesson plans, printables from A-Z Teacher Stuff

Presidents' Day Activities- from Education World


Presidents' Day Crafts for Kids- coloring pages, puzzles, tracer pages


Presidents' Day Fun- coloring pages, quizzes


Presidents' Day: A Life Lesson- from Edutopia


Presidents' Day Lesson Plans and Resources- from the Lesson Plans Page


Presidents' Day Primary Games

Presidents' Day Quiz- 10 questions; interactive

Presidents' Day Quiz- 10 questions; choose answers from drop-down menu

Presidents' Day Research Project-  for grades 1-2


Presidents' Day Teacher Resources- from TeacherVision

Presidents' Day Resource Page- Teacher Planet


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Last night was the opening ceremonies for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Security has been been paramount, and Russia's anti-gay attitude has garnered much attention. With so much to talk about in the classroom, I have gathered a plethora of resources and lesson plans for all age levels.



SITES
10 Free Things for Teaching About the 2014 Winter Olympics- from NEA; some lesson
plans listed with other resources


winter-olympic-factsresize
Find more great infographics on NerdGraph Infographics 

2014 Sochi Olympics- related articles from the Huffington Post

Aiming for Gold- CNN's page devoted to the Winter Olympics

A Beginner's Guide to the Olympics- short video

Behind the Olympics: Teaching About Russia in the Putin Era - NY Times article

Crazy Olympic Team Uniforms at Sochi


Fractions of a Second: An Olympic Musical- interactive from the NY Times; turn up the volume to listen

From Russia With Sport: 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi- EDSITEment's resource list

Gays in U.S. Olympic Delegation Will Send Message to Russia- from NPR




Google Map of the 2014 Sochi Olympics- make sure you have Google Earth downloaded on your computer

Jamaican Bobsledders Seek Money for Sochi Trip- NY Times

The Many, Many Problems of the Sochi Olympics- from The Week

NBC Olympics- since they are broadcasting the games, NBC has a ton of information here

New York Times' Sochi 2014 Page- updated on a daily basis

Official Site of the 2014 Sochi Olympics- schedules of events located here

Olympic Fun Facts- from Factmonster

The Olympic Games- Enchanted Learning; for younger kids

The Olympics in the Classroom: Videos and Motion Graphics- great for science teachers

Olympic Torch and Medals- interactive from Associated Press

Russia Readies for Sochi 2014: The Putin Games


Science of the Olympic Winter Games- 16 videos by the National Science Foundation



Snapshots Through Time- posters of the Olympics, as far back as 1924


Sochi Olympics: most expensive ever
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Sochi 2014- loads of interactive sports coverage from the Wall Street Journal

Sochi 2014- TIME for Kids website

Sochi 2014 Guide- iPhone, iPad app

Sochi 2014 Newsletter- sign up for daily news

Sochi 2014: An Olympic Preview- from The Atlantic














Sochi 2014 Olympic Games- from CBS Sports




Sochi 2014 Games: 6 Winter Olympics-Themed STEM Resources- from Edutopia

What the Data Say About Which Countries Will Win Olympic Medals-  infographic from the Washington Post

Winter Olympics- from the BBC


LESSON PLANS - ACTIVITIES - CRAFTS
Activity Village- includes coloring pages, printables, puzzles

Brainpop- resources for bringing the games into your classroom

Math Activities Involving the Olympics

Pearson OLE Community- sports activity packs by sport include free lesson plans

PBS Hour EXTRA- lesson plans on the Sochi Olympics

Pinterest Board- many crafts and activities

ReadWriteThink- classroom activities

TeachersFirst- covers grades 3-12; small list of 15 plans

TeacherVision- nice listing here includes printables

Think Winter Olympics!- Thinkfinity site with nice lesson ideas

Will You Be Watching the 2014 Sochi Olympics?- lesson from the NY Times Learning Network

Winter Games Lesson Plans- from educators and the Australian Olympic Committee; lower grades

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How are you at multitasking? I recently read that those of us do a lot of multitasking can actually lower our IQs. Today's kids think they are masters at multitasking, (see my post on Generation Y) but how well they handle all this information remains to be seen. Stanford University Communications Professor Clifford Nass had researched this topic and is seen in the two videos below. Try not to multitask while you watch them...








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