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It’s that time of the year! Time to think about summer reading and helping our students stave off the summer slide. Students that don’t read during the summer stand to lose between 25–30% of their school-year learning. Reading over the summer encourages lifelong reading, helps children improve and maintain reading skills, increases children’s knowledge base, … read more »
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Rita Mae Brown’s quote demonstrates how learning a new language for English language learners (ELLs) is not just about communication but also about gaining insight into a new culture and way of life. Currently, ELLs are a growing population in U.S. public schools, with an average of 10 percent of students classified as ELLs nationwide … read more »
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Invention is a process: you don’t get there overnight Louis Foreman May is National Inventors Month, an excellent time to introduce your students to inventions and inventors and to discuss their character traits found, including perseverance, curiosity, and problem solving. Celebrating the spirit of inventors and the invention process is an engaging way for students … read more »
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Poem in Your Pocket Day is celebrated annually as one of the culminating events of National Poetry Month. Observing this day is an excellent time to teach about and celebrate poetry. The premise is simple, carry a poem with you throughout the day and share your poem with others. This TeachersFirst collection of poetry resources … read more »
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April 24th is the 223rd birthday of the Library of Congress! The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library and an agency of the legislative branch of the U.S. government. It serves as the main research arm of the U.S. Congress, is recognized as the national library of the United States, and is the … read more »
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“It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a child with autism to raise the consciousness of the village.” Elaine Hall April is Autism Awareness Month when individuals, organizations, and communities unite to increase awareness and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As educators, it’s essential to support and celebrate autistic students and … read more »
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The first Earth Day celebration took place on April 22, 1970. Senator Gaylord Nelson promoted the concept of Earth Day to encourage students to fight for environmental causes with the same kind of energy they used to fight the Vietnam War. Earth Day activities and events have seen over one billion people in one hundred … read more »
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Every month, the TeachersFirst Classroom Planning Calendar highlights events and observances, some of which help raise awareness of meaningful causes. A few highlights for April are Earth Day, National Poetry Month, and Financial Literacy Month. We can’t forget the shenanigans and tricks on April 1, but there’s no foolin’ that April is also Citizen Science Month, a … read more »
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Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings. C. D. Jackson Every March, International Ideas Month takes place. This observation recognizes the potential of ideas, even those that seem simple or unattainable. As educators, we both teach students about famous people who have formulated great ideas and inspire them to explore their own. Coming … read more »
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James Madison is often called the Father of the Constitution for his role in writing the Federalist Papers and creating a new form of government following the Continental Congress. He and the rest of the founding fathers—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay—led the revolution, brought independence to the … read more »