Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This helpful checklist of reading and writing skills outlines what parents should expect to see from their children at each grade level. The site provides reading lists and practical tips for helping students to hone their language arts skills.

tag(s): reading lists (77), writing (325)

Use this site to teach young students how to avoid common injuries in a variety of circumstances: in the sun, around water, near vehicles and traffic, during sports practices and games, and even in their own yards or playgrounds. Animated instructional cartoons - narrated by kids - and interactive quizzes are liberally sprinkled through the site.

tag(s): safety (68)

Media have a profound effect on the creative, social, physical and intellectual development of a child. This excellent resource gives parents strategies for helping children develop healthy TV habits, resist advertising, think critically, and evaluate information for credibility. The site explores common questions and dilemmas encountered when dealing with kids and TV, suggests daily activities, and provides links to additional resources.

tag(s): vision (44)

National Runaway Safeline's tagline is "Keeping America's runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth safe and off the streets." Find important information for students, parents, counselors, and anyone else who works with young people who have run away (or might be thinking about doing so) and their families. In addition to location and confidential contact services, the site offers a wealth of resources for both families and young people. For teachers and counselors, there is an evidenced-based, interactive, 14-module curriculum "intended to educate young people about alternatives to running away as well as to build life skills... "Runaways are a quiet problem whose dimensions are far more significant than many realize. The site includes resources for homelessness, as well.

tag(s): behavior (45), character education (79), safety (68)

The National Institute for Drug Abuse offers this page about drugs and drug abuse for teens. There's a lot of factual information, some quizzes, and a wealth of statistics on the decline in drug use among teens. The coverage also includes ecstasy and the "date rape" drugs. Counselors and nurses may find this one particularly useful.

tag(s): drugs and alcohol (28), red ribbon week (9)

This US Department of Agriculture site provides valuable information for parents interested in teaching their children healthy eating habits. The site has a seasonal guide for healthy eating, ten tips for planning healthy school lunches, activities that parents and children can do together, and a list of health conscious reading resources sorted by age-group.

tag(s): nutrition (140)

Developed with funding from the National Center for Environmental Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this site may be helpful to parents looking to keep household products out of the reach of youngsters. You can search the database by product category, or by active chemical ingredients. Detailed information about each of the included products gives proper handling instructions, safety precautions, and information for the safe and appropriate disposal of these products.

tag(s): poisons (2), safety (68)

Adult's expectations can be overwhelming for children. Learn about the two types of expectations parents have for their children and how too much expectation can be crushing. This site guides parents to listen and be realistic about what they want from children.

tag(s): family (51)

Know the warning signs and don't ignore them, suicide is the third leading cause of death in teens and young 'twenty-somethings'. Visit this site to get the clues, information to help someone who is at risk, and the Girls and Boys Town Hotline Number for suicide prevention.

tag(s): difficult conversations (57), emotions (49)

Inhalants are easy to get and potentially fatal. Every parent needs be sure they understand the dangers and the symptoms of inhalant abuse. This site lists what to watch for and offers a crisis intervention phone number for parents and teens.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): drugs and alcohol (28)

Sometimes simple rules can guide us through life's more difficult tasks and learning to apologize is one of them. This site lists some steps to use when offering a sincere apology, an important skill for parents as well as children.

tag(s): family (51)

This site presents information about how peer pressure can be exerted and tells parents what signs mean your child is most vulnerable. Included are simple suggestions parents can use to counteract the negative effects of peer pressure, we wish this valuable information was more in depth.

tag(s): family (51)

This site explains the use of charts and contracts to change children's behavior. With charts and contracts, privileges are contingent on specific behaviors you want to see from your kids.

tag(s): family (51)

This site will help parents teach children the proper way to tell the truth. It offers brief 'easy to remember' tips for children to follow.

tag(s): behavior (45)

Are you considering using rewards for as a positive consequence for your child's behavior? Here are some guidelines along with a brief description of the topic and several ideas for a "Joy Jar."

tag(s): family (51)

Help your child form a positive self image by following the suggestions on this site. By focusing on skill improvement and honest effort rather than performance, parents can support their children through many challenges. We wish this site had more information and examples.

tag(s): family (51)

This site lays out the advantages and disadvantages of video games. Several commonsense guidelines are offered to help parents keep video games in their place.

tag(s): family (51)

Always a difficult subject, bullies can ruin your child's upper elementary school day. Bullies often manage to operate without adults' awareness. Here are five straightforward strategies to help your child deal with bullies.

tag(s): bullying (48), emotions (49)

Children of different ages will typically respond differently to death. This site will help parents guide children of all ages through this difficult time and offer suggestions regarding when to seek outside support.

tag(s): family (51)

The classes and school habits formed in middle school will have a direct effect on you child's opportunities later in life. Visit this site by the Department of Education and take a minute to be sure you understand the future value of the classes offered to your child.