Fun and Educational Reading and Writing Resources for Students!
(Parents and teachers will want to take a peek, too!)
Have fun exploring all of the links to many different sites to enhance your learning experience at home and at school through our Mittineague Library site!
"If we didn't have libraries, many people thirsty for knowledge would dehydrate."
(If you press "Control F", for "find", a pop- up box will appear up top to the right. You can type in what you are interested in, and it will bring you to that title on your page of resources!)
**********************
West Springfield
Public Library
200 Park Street West Springfield, MA 01089
413-736-4561
Library Hours:
Monday - Wednesday 9 AM - 9 PM
Thursday - Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM
Closed Sundays
Our video game collection is growing and now includes games for all ages - take a look at the full collection here!
Click on this link for current programs for kids!
DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM
Dewey Decimal System Games Classification Games
Daily Book Bites
https://www.rif.org/literacy-central/day-history-calendar
AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Pronounciation Guide
https://www.teachingbooks.net/pronunciations.cgi
eReading Games are free educational video games designed to give students helpful practice with essential reading skills. These games are completely free of cost and provide genuine educational experiences!
My Father's Dragon
by Ruth Stiles Gannett
https://online.flipbuilder.com/fdyv/gcxd/
Homework Help
https://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/index.html
KIDS NEWS
Read about the amazing librarian,
Augusta Baker,
"First, she would light a candle, then she would tell a story..." During her lifetime, that is how Augusta Baker introduced children to literature! She is named number 6 on the list of the 100 most important library figures in our nation's history! She wanted black children to be able to go to the library and see books that had black people in them and not just white people. She wanted them to have pride in their heritage and she encouraged readers of all races to respect and understand each other. ❤️
https://scafricanamerican.com/honorees/augusta-baker/
http://shemadehistory.com/her-story-augusta-baker/
(Audre Geraldine Lorde, was born on February 18, 1924, in Harlem, New York, to Caribbean immigrant parents. Audre was an extreme introvert as a child until a neighborhood librarian, Ms. Augusta Baker, taught her to read and write. She began expressing herself through poetry, memorizing poems and reciting them to express her feelings, and then began writing her own poetry to organize her views and thoughts. She broke barriers as a student when she became the first Black student to attend Hunter High School, a public school for gifted girls.)
Hundreds of pages of easy to read information and facts on many homework topics:
https://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/
Can we guess your favorite school subject ??
https://www.shelfstuff.com/games-quizzes
Reading Snowball
https://www.fun4thebrain.com/g/reading/snowballfight/
Multiplication Quizzes
https://www.fun4thebrain.com/quizzes#multiplication
PBS Kids' Read-Alongs
https://www.pbs.org/parents/read-along
WONDEROPOLIS
Toy Theater - Such a cool website!
https://toytheater.com/category/language-arts/stories/
https://toytheater.com/category/language-arts/
WordArt.com is an online word cloud art creator that enables you to create amazing and unique word cloud art easily!
*Click a letter to view the movie for each letter!
http://www.inklesstales.com/alphabet/h.shtml
READING BEAR - Learn the letter sounds!
Phonics practice for our younger students:
https://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/activities/firstphonics/
Letter and Number formation:
https://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/activities/letterformation/
STARFALL
This is a wonderful website for emergent readers...There is no login! You just simply click and open books to read! I love it, and I think you will, too!!
https://www.starfall.com/h/im-reading/?t=294325155
Click and drag the puzzle pieces to make a sentence!
https://www.starfall.com/h/ir-fnf/psToyBox/?sn=ir-fnf--im-reading
https://www.starfall.com/h/talking-library/
"Between the Lions" Early Reading...You will love these videos that help you to read and help with fluency!
https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/btl07-ex/t/k-1/k1.fluency/
An Egg is Artistic
Wood Sculpting - A Connection to the Past
Tale of a Singing Zebra
"Tale of a Singing Zebra" is a delightful nine -part guided reading story about following your dreams, making friends, and seeking adventure. The online story has been developed to make learning to read enjoyable and fun for emerging readers.
https://www.roythezebra.com/guided-reading-story.html
Book Builder Online - so cute!
https://www.bookbuilderonline.com/
Free Short Stories for Kids
https://www.roomrecess.com/Stories/Fiction.html
Bedtime Stories for Kids
https://storiestogrowby.org/bedtime-stories-kids-free/
https://nellieedge.com/free-little-books/
Progressive Phonics
"Reading Made Easy"
Beginner Phonics Books:
(Click on the book to start reading!)
http://www.progressivephonics.com/phonics-books/beginner-phonics-books
Beginning Reader Chapter Books:
The Lucky Buffalo Nickel!
http://www.clarkness.com/Reading%20files/Chapter%20Books/The%20Lucky%20Buffalo%20Nickel.pdf
Toy Animals!
http://www.clarkness.com/Reading%20files/Chapter%20Books/Toy%20Animals.pdf
The Giant Cookie!
http://www.clarkness.com/Reading%20files/Chapter%20Books/The%20Giant%20Cookie.pdf
Rabbits!
http://www.clarkness.com/Reading%20files/Chapter%20Books/Rabbits.pdf
Free Stories and eBooks online
http://www.clarkness.com/index.htm
"Easy to Read" Picture eBooks with
OpenDyslexic Font:
OpenDyslexic font is designed to be easier to read for struggling readers with dyslexia.
Current research shows no reading improvement with this font, though your beginning reader may be more comfortable reading ebooks written this way.
A collection of free, easy to read on-line books for kids on a variety of subjects!
https://tarheelreader.org/find/
About Tuck Everlasting ...
https://tarheelreader.org/2020/09/08/tuck-everlasting-by-natalie-babbit-chpts-1-5/
https://tarheelreader.org/2020/09/08/tuck-everlasting-by-natalie-babbit-chpts-6-10/
https://tarheelreader.org/2020/09/08/tuck-everlasting-by-natalie-babbit-chpts-11/
https://tarheelreader.org/2020/09/08/tuck-everlasting-by-natalie-babbit-chpts-16-20/
https://tarheelreader.org/2020/09/08/tuck-everlasting-by-natalie-babbit-chpts-21-25/
*Read these online books for free (Pre K - 3rd)
https://www.wilbooks.com/wilbooks-free-resources
...or sorted by guided reading level
https://www.wilbooks.com/free-online-books-guided-reading-level
World Tales for Kids
https://storiestogrowby.org/world-tales-for-kids/
BEDTIME STORIES - Folk Tales and Fairy Tales for kids
https://storiestogrowby.org/bedtime-stories-kids-free/
UNITE FOR LITERACY
Click on a book and READ, it's that simple, or you have the option to pick a language and have the story read to you in your language of choice!
50 FREE Children's PDF Books to read online:
https://monkeypen.com/pages/free-childrens-books
Printable Shared Reading Booklets
Online books for kids to read:
(Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Timmy Failure, etc.)
https://www.funbrain.com/books
Children's Story Night
http://www.the-office.com/bedtime-story/indexmain.htm#bump
¨Charlie Ox¨
https://www.the-office.com/bedtime-story/charlieox.htm
Read or Listen to Stories!
(Just scroll down for each page and the words to read)
https://global-asp.github.io/storybooks-dc/stories/en/
Stories in a Nutshell - I love these!
http://www.storyarts.org/library/nutshell/index.html
The Purse of Gold
A Jewish Folktale
A beggar found a leather purse that someone had dropped in the marketplace. Opening it, he discovered that it contained 100 pieces of gold. Then he heard a merchant shout, "A reward! A reward to the one who finds my leather purse!"
Being an honest man, the beggar came forward and handed the purse to the merchant saying, "Here is your purse. May I have the reward now?"
"Reward?" scoffed the merchant, greedily counting his gold. "Why the purse I dropped had 200 pieces of gold in it. You've already stolen more than the reward! Go away or I'll tell the police."
"I'm an honest man," said the beggar defiantly. "Let us take this matter to the court."
In court the judge patiently listened to both sides of the story and said, "I believe you both. Justice is possible! Merchant, you stated that the purse you lost contained 200 pieces of gold. Well, that's a considerable cost. But, the purse this beggar found had only 100 pieces of gold. Therefore, it couldn't be the one you lost."
And, with that, the judge gave the purse and all the gold to the beggar.
Audio Books for Children (Classics)
(Choose from many different languages!)
http://www.loyalbooks.com/genre/Children
*STORYLINE ONLINE...One of my favorite sites for kids featuring celebrated actors/actresses reading children's books!
(Use ¨School Tube" to watch)
https://www.storylineonline.net/library/
*This is a direct link to Oprah Winfrey reading
"The Hula Hoopin' Queen"
https://www.storylineonline.net/books/hula-hoopin-queen/
"Dogs are Cool"
https://cf.ltkcdn.net/childrens-books/files/3388-BOOKLET.pdf
"The Big Dog Problem"
https://pbskids.org/peg/games/big-dog-problem
"Why Dogs Wag Their Tales" (Philippine folklore)
https://fairytalez.com/why-dogs-wag-their-tails/
Martha Speaks - True Stories for kids
(environment, technology, inventions, and measuring)
https://pbskids.org/martha/stories/truestories/index.html
Have you ever read Milllions of Cats by Wanda Gag?
https://www.rif.org/literacy-central/material/millions-cats-read-aloud-james-earl-jones
Read The Little Gingerbread Man!
http://www.magickeys.com/books/gingerbread/index.htm
Frogwart and the Tooth Fairies
http://www.meddybemps.com/Frogwart/ToothFairyStory/Index.html
How I Disovered Pixies in our Garden!
http://www.meddybemps.com/GardenPixies/GardenPixies.html
Nature Notebook
http://www.meddybemps.com/Notebook/Index.html
Story Starters
http://www.meddybemps.com/9.700.html
Ezra Jack Keats
Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983) was a pioneer in American
children’s literature. He based the lives of his multiracial characters
on his childhood but added loving parents, friends and pets.
He wanted no child to be an outsider.
“If we could see each
other exactly as the other is,” he wrote, “this would be a
different world.”
A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day, a beautiful picture book biography of the legendary author and artist Ezra Jack Keats...
The book tells the story of Ezra Jack Keats and the creation of his iconic The Snowy Day, the first major American picture book to feature a black child as its protagonist. Keats’s story is remarkable not only for the obstacles he overcame on his path to becoming an author — including poverty, family struggles, the Great Depression, and persecution as a Jewish man during World War II — but also for his recognition in the 1930s and ‘40s of the need for diversity in children’s books. In A Poem for Peter, readers learn how Keats applied his incredible artistic talents, developed first as a child experimenting with half-used tubes of leftover oil paints and later as a graphic designer for the military, to explore the inner life and experiences of children of all backgrounds, leaving a lasting legacy of beauty and inclusion for all of us to share.
Ezra’s Inspiration: The character of Peter was inspired by pictures in Life magazine’s May 13, 1940 issue. Look at the original pictures here, and then explore the rest of the magazine. Look at the advertisements and see what was in the news that week. Does anything surprise you? Did you see how much the magazine cost?
Read THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN online for free!
http://www.theoneandonlyivan.com/the-real-ivan/
OUT OF MY MIND
by Sharon Draper!
https://d-pdf.com/book/746/read
https://www.sharondraper.com/biography
https://www.andover.edu/files/OOMM-Thinking-Questions.pdf
https://machetedidactice.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/out_of_my_mind_novel_study.pdf
https://www.sharondraper.com/resources/out-of-my-mind
Jan Brett
Make a Jan Brett Gingerbread Friend!!
Trim a Jan Brett Christmas Tree!
"Judy Moody was in a Mood"
(Read online for free!)
JUNIE B. JONES
http://juniebjones.com/activities?page=1
(Click on the titles of each activity for the downloads!)
https://www.readbrightly.com/junie-b-jones-activities-printables/
PINKALICIOUS
Printable craft sheets and coloring pages:
https://www.thinkpinkalicious.com/activities/
...or
https://pbskids.org/pinkalicious/games/pinkcredible-story-maker
ARTHUR!
Arthur Family History Fun
ROBERT MUNSCH
"LOVE YOU FOREVER"
https://robertmunsch.com/book/love-you-forever
Click on any of Robert Munsch's books and listen to him read to you!
https://robertmunsch.com/books
ALL ABOUT ROBERT MUNSCH!
https://robertmunsch.com/about
ERIC CARLE downloads and activities for kids!
https://eric-carle.com/resources/downloads-and-activities/
FAITH RINGGOLD
https://artprojectsforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Draw-Cassie.pdf
https://www.rif.org/literacy-central/material/author-faith-ringgold-reads-tar-beach
The Adventures of Sticky Burr
THE JACKET by Andrew Clements
https://nfc.cambridgeschool.edu.in/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/05/THE-JACKET.pdf
LUNCH MONEY
https://mrszenelisclass.weebly.com/uploads/5/5/4/2/55428545/lunch_money.pdf
ACTIVITIES AND RESEARCH • Research people who have fought for civil rights for African Americans in the United States. Make a list of these influential people in history. Pick one and write a biography describing the struggles and hardships he/she faced. Share your biography with the class. • While riding the bus, Phil wonders what it would be like for Daniel to ride on his bus. What would it be like for someone of a different race to ride on your school bus? Research Rosa Parks. What experience did she have with riding a bus? If you had been in Rosa Parks’s shoes, do you think you could have been as courageous as she was? • In The Jacket, Phil is dealing with some internal struggles regarding his own ideas about racism. Think of another book that you’ve read where the main character is also dealing with internal struggles. Compare and contrast these two characters and the issues they are facing. • Continue this story and write the next chapter of The Jacket. • Draw or find a picture of a jacket. Write on it, or attach to it, words that come to mind when you think of the story you’ve just read. Include words that show your opinion of the story and the message it sends to its readers. Display the jackets on a clothesline in your classroom. • Pretend you are a reporter writing a news article about what has happened between Phil and Daniel and the jacket. Give your article a headline. Organize your facts as they would be in a news story with the most important facts listed first and then the supporting details!
THE WORLD OF BEVERLY CLEARY
(Beezus and Ramona, Henry and Ribsy, and Ellen Tibbits...)
https://www.beverlycleary.com/characters
JUDY BLUME
https://judyblume.com/judy-blume-for-kids/
JACQUELINE WOODSON
Reading = Hope x Change
¨Reading gives us hope. And it changes us. When we meet characters in books, fall in love with them, cheer for them, we become more empathetic. More hopeful. More thoughtful about the bigger world.¨
https://www.readbrightly.com/jacqueline-woodson-on-writing-books-for-kids/
https://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/category/books-ive-written/picture-books/
Click on this link if you like the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio!
"Natalie Merchant has an amazing song called Wonder, and the joyfulness and optimism of that song—not to mention the theme of being born "different"—really helped me shape my vision of the book." - R.J. Palacio
Wonder
Doctors have come from distant cities
Just to see me
Stand over my bed
Disbelieving what they're seeing
They say I must be one of the wonders
God's own creation
And as far as they see they can offer
No explanation
Newspapers ask intimate questions
Want confessions
They reach into my head
To steal the glory of my story
They say I must be one of the wonders
God's own creation
And as far as they see they can offer
No explanation
O, I believe
Fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted
With love, with patience and with faith
She'll make her way,
She'll make her way!
People see me
I'm a challenge to your balance
I'm over your heads
How I confound you and astound you
To know I must be one of the wonders
God's own creation
And as far as you see you can offer me
No explanation
O, I believe
Fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as she came to my mother
Know this child will not suffer
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted
With love, with patience and with faith
She'll make her way!
WONDER Crisscross and Word Search Puzzles!
https://www.rif.org/literacy-central/criss-cross/wonder-criss-cross
https://www.rif.org/literacy-central/word-search/wonder-word-search
I just read RULES by Cynthia Lord and loved it! It is a wonderful story about a 12-year-old girl named Catherine with an autistic brother. I have a link below to the author, Cynthia Lord. I loved reading about her, too!
Cynthia Lord has been writing since high school. A mother of two children, one of whom has autism, she says, “I wrote RULES to explore some of my own questions about living with someone who sees the world so differently than I do, but also to show a full experience of family life with a child with autism: the happy moments, the heartbreaking ones, the ones that make me laugh.” She lives with her husband, children, and a Bichon Frise in an old house in coastal Maine. A former teacher, behavioral specialist, and bookseller, she now enjoys writing for children.
https://www.cynthialord.com/about.html
*This is a cool site for The Babysitters-Club books!
http://www.scholastic.com/thebabysittersclub/journal.htm
Below is a link to a story starter that you can print out, and then you can fill in the "cells" and create a graphic story of your own:
Printable activites from Lemony Snicket's
"A Series of Unfortunate Events"
https://www.lemonysnicket.com/activities/
Little House on the Prairie ¨Extras¨
https://www.littlehousebooks.com/extras
https://littlehouseontheprairie.com/little-house-ink-and-envelopes/
https://littlehouseontheprairie.com/pioneer-girl-and-pioneer-boy-paper-doll-printables/
https://littlehouseontheprairie.com/historical-perspective-or-racism-in-little-house-on-the-prairie/
Are you a Harry Potter fan?
Harry Potter is so exciting to read that getting stuck on a word can be really annoying! Here are 10 words with their meanings to help you out with the first book...
...and here is the Harry Potter Glossary for all the rest of the books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/discover/harry-potter/fun-facts/harry-potter-glossary/
Harry Potter, written by J.K. Rowling, is a fictional novel series about ‘The Boy Who Lived’. Singled out by Lord Voldemort at birth as his greatest rival, Harry Potter became the hero of the wizarding world.
Harry Potter Facts
Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by J.K. Rowling. The first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997, which was followed by six best-selling books and eight blockbuster films. These books have been translated into 80 languages, won multiple awards and sold more than 500 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling book series in history.
This children’s fantasy novel became an international hit and Rowling became a global literary sensation in the year 1999 when the first three installments of Harry Potter ranked in the top three slots of the New York Times best-seller list after achieving similar success in her home country, the United Kingdom.
The central character in the story, Harry James Potter, was born on July 31, 1980. He is a half-blood wizard and is considered to be the most famous wizards of modern times. He was the only child and son of James and Lily Potter, who were murdered by the Dark Lord, Voldemort. In the attempted murder of Harry by the Dark Lord, his parents protected him with a spell that made him survive Voldemort’s magic, earning him the name “The Boy Who Lived.”
Harry became a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where most of the events in the stories take place. This academy is where students learn a great deal in classical mythology and alchemy, incorporating objects and wildlife such as magic wands, magical plants, potions, spells, flying broomsticks, centaurs and other magical creatures.
As Harry develops as a wizard each year (as depicted in each of the seven books in the series chronicles), his adventures with friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger also develop up to his battle against Lord Voldemort. The stories demonstrate how their friendships save each other’s lives many times. Their friendship sees them create a secret study group, “Dumbledore’s Army”, which aims to teach other students higher-level skills of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Through these lessons, Harry takes the lead as he learns to realize his painful connection to Voldemort’s actions telepathically.
Dumbledore’s Army, along with the members of the Order of the Phoenix (Remus Lupin, the Weasleys, Sirius Black, Mundungus Fletcher and many more), protects Hogwarts from the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.
Meanwhile, Harry, with the help of Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, learns about defeating the Dark Lord by destroying a series of Horcruxes he developed to preserve his life. As Harry, Hermione and Ron search for the pieces of Horcruxes, the trio learn details about an ancient prophecy about the Deathly Hallows – three objects from an old fairy tale, The Tale of the Three Brothers. These items include the Elder Wand, an unbeatable wand (in the possession of Dumbledore); the Resurrection Stone, able to summon the dead; and the infallible Invisibility Cloak (that Harry Potter owns). The trio then suspect Voldemort of looking for these three items, thinking that the wand, specifically, can overpower Harry Potter.
Upon learning that Harry himself became Voldemort’s Horcrux when the Dark Lord murdered his parents, Harry surrenders himself to Voldemort where the Dark Lord cast a killing curse, Avada Kedavra, at him. Harry awakens and faces Voldemort, whose Horcruxes have all been destroyed and, in the final battle, Voldemort’s killing curse rebounds off Harry’s defensive spell, Expelliarmus, that kills Voldemort. The spell rebounds because the real owner of the Elder Wand Voldemort uses is Harry Potter. He also unties the three Deathly Hallows but refuses to use them, breaking the wand and losing the resurrection stone.
Joanne Rowling, born on July 31, 1965, who uses the pen name J.K.Rowling and Robert Galbraith, is a British author and screenwriter of the Harry Potter series.
She uses male pen names for the reason that: “My publisher, who published Harry Potter said to me, "We think this is a book that will appeal to boys and girls". I said, "Oh, great!", and they said, "So, could we use your initials?”. (The publisher asked her to disguise her name because of the perception that because she’s a woman, the book wouldn’t then appeal to both sexes!) When the books became award-winning, the publisher disclosed she was a woman.
J.K. Rowling has lived a life of “rags to riches” in which she progressed from living on state benefits to being the world’s first billionaire author. She lost the billionaire status after giving away much of her earnings to charity but remains one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Here are some interesting facts on the Harry Potter books:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: 76,944 words.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: 85,141 words.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: 107,253 words.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: 190,637 words.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: 257,045 words.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: 168,923 words.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: 198,227 words.
All seven Harry Potter books contain 1,084,170 words spread over 6,095 pages. If children have read all 7, then they have read over 1 million words and that is to be applauded!
Explore "Wizarding World" with J.K. Rowling!
https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling
https://www.startingharrypotter.com/?utm_source=wwd_web&utm_medium=nav&utm_campaign=shp-2022
THE NIGHT DIARY
Veera Hiranandani is the author of The Night Diary, a historical novel for middle grade readers that follows 12-year-old Nisha and her family’s difficult journey as refugees seeking out a new home during the Partition of India in 1947.
https://www.readbrightly.com/veera-hiranandani-on-the-night-diary/
https://www.readbrightly.com/brightlys-book-club-for-kids-the-night-diary/
Read author interviews and prompts to stay motivated:
(Just click on each line for the links!)
Get short story tips and writing dares from published authors interviewed as part of "Short Story Month". Click on each line below:
"Write what you care about." — Jerry Spinelli
"Your voice is one-of-a-kind, and it matters." — Abby R. Cooper
"Creativity is all about breaking the rules!" — Martine Leavitt
"Eat your dessert first." — Sarah Aronson
"Storytelling is part of the human DNA." — Tory Christie
"What's the secret to writing humor?" — Lisa Doan
"Write every day, not someday." — Colby Sharp, Pablo Cartaya, and Jacqueline Resni
*These sites from Dav Pilkey are so much fun for those students who love Captain Underpants and Dog Man!
https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/books/dav-pilkey-at-home/
https://kids.scholastic.com/kid/books/planet-pilkey/
Patricia Polacco
Patricia Polacco grew up hearing family stories from her Ukrainian grandmother. In the absence of a television set, Polacco’s “Babushka” told gripping tales in front of the crackling fireplace. In keeping with oral tradition, Polacco retold these stories to her own children. It wasn’t until Polacco was 41 that she started to write down this family history and illustrate it...
https://www.readingrockets.org/people-and-organizations/patricia-polacco
https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Patricia-Polacco/707080
https://www.colorincolorado.org/author/patricia-polacco
...Even authors and illustrators ( or their family members) have had challenges and learning and attention issues and struggled with learning to read!
Katherine Applegate (The One and Only Ivan): Katherine's daughter has dyslexia, and the key for her has been graphic novels. https://katherineapplegate.com/about
Jewell Parker Rhodes (Ninth Ward): Jewell writes in an accessible conversational style, where the words may be easy to read but the stories and characters are sophisticated. She says that many parents have told her that her books have been the first their kids ever finished.
Leigh Bardugo (Grisha series): Leigh includes characters with all kinds of abilities — including ADHD and dyslexia — in her popular Grishaverse novels. She wants to highlight the power and strengths that all kids have. Her Six of Crows character, Wylan (who has dyslexia), was inspired by a friend from college.
Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series): Percy, along with other demigods in the books, is dyslexic — inspired by Riordan's own son who has dyslexia and ADHD.
Jack Gantos (Joey Pigza series): The irrepressible Joey Pigza, a kid with ADHD, sprang into Jack's imagination after a memorable school visit. Jack wanted to capture the personality of this gradeschooler he had just met — a kid with lots of creativity and "smarts" who just needs a little guidance from friends and family.
Jeff Kinney (Wimpy Kid series), Jarrett Krosoczka (Lunch Lady series), Cece Bell (El Deafo), Matt Holm (Babymouse and Squish series), and Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret): These authors like to talk about how the graphic novel and "hybrid" novel format have a unique way of pulling readers into a story — and they're especially engaging to kids who struggle with reading.
Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man), Kelly Entrada Kelly (Hello, Universe), and Tom Angleberger (Origami Yoda series): These authors challenge us to let kids choose the books they want to read — sometimes that's funny books, comic books, or nonfiction. When children follow their interests, motivation to read will grow.
Megan McDonald (Judy Moody series) and Lin Oliver (Here's Hank series): Megan and Lin include key elements in their stories that can help turn reluctant readers into enthusiastic ones — stories packed with humor, familiar and relatable characters in series books, and an "open" page design with clear fonts and lots of white space.
KIDS ASK AUTHORS! (Podcasts)
https://www.kidsaskauthors.com/?offset=1587555895179
MYSTERY INITIALS!
(Full names of famous authors)
https://www.factmonster.com/culture-entertainment/journalism-literature/mystery-initials
All about R.L.Stine!
http://rlstine.com/about-rl-stine
R.L. Stine's Writing Program
http://rlstine.com/writing-program
Rainy Night Theater
Creepy Stories to Listen to in the Dark...
https://rlstine.com/rainy-night-theater
As one of the best-known writers of children’s horror fiction, R.L. Stine might be expected to relish the last day of October as if it were his birthday.
But the Goosebumps author, 72, tells PEOPLE that – horrors! – he doesn’t even dress up for Halloween.
“I’m always working,” he says. “But if I’m home, I bring out my skeleton – I bring it to the back door and we give away candy and Goosebumps books. Everyone gets books.”
Stine’s famous fantasy thrillers have recently been developed into a motion picture with Jack Black playing the author.
“He’s a great evil version of me – that was his decision,” Stine says. “Jack flew to New York and we had lunch and he looked at me and said, ‘Well, what in the script is true about you?’ And I said ‘Jack, not one thing. Don’t look at the script.'”
“He’s so mean in the film – it bothered me a little bit, but once the monsters start chasing him, he mellows.”
Not only is Stine not overwhelmed by the excitement of Halloween, he also says he cannot be scared.
“Scary movies never scare me. They make me laugh. Horror always makes me laugh. I just think it’s funny. And even Stephen King – they’re a few really creepy books like Pet Sematary which I think is one of the scariest and people always say to me, ‘I read your book and I had to sleep with all the lights on and I had to lock all the doors’ and I never had that feeling. Never had that.”
ABOUT FLOYD COOPER
Floyd Cooper, a celebrated children’s book illustrator who explored the African American experience in stories rooted in history, died on July 15, 2021, but his memory and legacy live on. Over 30 years, he illustrated children’s stories that not only carried his earthy and golden pastel impressions of Black life, but also strived to recount chapters of African American history that he felt weren’t taught enough in classrooms. He saw humanity in every subject, in people of all ages. (Floyd Cooper Day is celebrated May 5th!) https://everychildareader.net/cbw/floyd-cooper-day-2023/
“To put a book about a little Black child into the hands of a little white child and to put a book about a little white child into the hands of a little Black child,” Mr. Cooper said in a 2016 interview, “it has been something that has been part of my career from the very beginning.”
“Right now,” he continued, “it’s very important that we all get a grasp on what it is that can build bridges between us. I really do see children’s books as a way to build those bridges early on.”
Raised in poverty, Floyd grew up in public housing projects, and he attended 11 different elementary schools.
As a boy, while his father labored on a house one day, Floyd picked up a piece of scrap and used it to etch drawings on the home’s exterior. His father rebuked him and told him to scrub them away. By Mr. Cooper’s account it was the start of his subtractive illustration style.
Mr. Cooper kept up with the urgent conversation roiling the country about systemic racism and how African American history is taught in the classrooms. Galvanized by the moment, he undertook one of his most personal projects, illustrating “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre,” a collaboration with Ms. Weatherford, that recounts for young readers the destruction of Tulsa’s prosperous Black neighborhood of Greenwood in 1921, an incident that had been largely ignored in history classes.
As a son of Tulsa, Mr. Cooper had long been interested in the massacre. His maternal grandfather had narrowly escaped the carnage.
“Everything I knew about this tragedy came from Grandpa,” Mr. Cooper wrote in a personal note in “Unspeakable.” “Not a single teacher at school ever spoke of it.”
To work on the project, Mr. Cooper shut himself inside his studio and drew feverishly for months. He emerged with illustrations that brought the past back to life.
“It happened in the place where he was born,” his wife said. “His family was involved in what happened. It was his history. It became his last book. He put everything he had into that book.”
(By Alex Vadukul Published July 29, 2021 Updated Aug. 1, 2021)
https://diversebookfinder.org/news-views/floyd-cooper-an-appreciation/
Brightly's Book Club for Kids
https://www.readbrightly.com/topics/book-club/
*This is a link to a short story called "Miss Awful"... by Arthur Cavanaugh. (You can download it, if you want.) It is for more mature readers, but has a GREAT lesson about judging someone before you really know them...(When Miss Orville arrives at St. Geoff's as a substitute teacher, she immediately makes a lot of changes, requiring more obedience from the students and doling out harsh disciplines. Her strict management inspires the nickname "Miss Awful". However, on her last day in class ... )
READ to find out!!
https://docplayer.net/37040974-Miss-awful-by-arthur-cavanaugh.html
Reading Games!
Check this game out!
https://www.roomrecess.com/mobile/MainIdea/play.html
(Read the story in the cloud and then slide the cloud down over the tree that has the main idea of the little story that you just read. A little lightning bolt will pop out of the cloud and tell you if you got it right!!)
PBS KIDS reading games!
Create a movie in your mind while reading!
https://reading.ecb.org/student/visualizing/index.html
Choose a reading strategy (You CAN skip the login!)
https://reading.ecb.org/student/entry.html
Wonderful reading comprehension resource for students!
Take the
"Reading Without Walls"
Challenge!
It’s easy to participate in Reading Without Walls! Just find something new and different to read — and let the books open up the world around you.
What can YOU do to read without walls?
1. Read a book about a character who doesn’t look like you or live like you.
2. Read a book about a topic you don’t know much about.
3. Read a book in a format that you don’t normally read for fun — a chapter book, a graphic novel, a book in verse, or an audio book.
Book Swap Party
Organize a party for kids to trade books they've read — but with a condition: they have to read the book in order to attend the swap. At the party, have each child give a short book talk (thumbs up, thumbs down, and why) so the other kids can know what it's about. Trade books using the White Elephant Gift Exchange Rules.
Make a Book-Related Movie
Some kids are born performers. Use this passion to help them with their reading. Have them make a video themselves reading aloud or giving a review/sharing their opinion of a book. Websites like KidzVuz.com and Zui.com provide opportunities for kids to share videos with friends.
Reading Tent
Set up a tent or blanket fort. Add pillows, a flashlight or battery-powered lantern. Let your wiggly reader use it as a reading nook.
*Here is a link with some great ideas for what you can do before, during, or after you finish reading a book!
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/103-things-do-during-or-after-reading
Create a Story Box
Set Up Time: Under 5 minMess Level: LowActivity Time: 45-60 min
Creating stories puts your child’s imagination to work while also developing their logic and sequencing skills.
What you need:
A box, bowl, or basket
Various toys or household items that are child-safe.
How to play:
Gather 5-6 items into the box
Give your child time to create a story using all of the items in the box. For kids ages 5 and under, they can make up the story as they go. The only rule is they must use everything in the box as part of the story.
For older kids, ask them to plan out their story ahead of time.
This is a great activity for older and younger kids to collaborate on together. They can work together to create the story.
Tips for playing:
Include dolls or stuffed animals - the story needs characters!
Include items your kid already loves playing with plus items that are not usually in the toy box, like a band-aid, a spoon, or a scarf.
If you have time:
Take turns telling a story with the items in the box, Your child will love to see how you come up with a story and may copy some of the elements of your story.
Tell a story together. Get the whole family in on creating and acting out a play with these items.
*Creative BOOK REPORT ideas! There are some really great ideas in here for teachers and students!! 👌❤
https://www.weareteachers.com/creative-book-report-ideas/
Make Your Own Story Tile Game
https://houseofillustration.org.uk/media/_file/make-your-own-story-tile-game.pdf
Fingertip Tales
A simple method for creating an original story.
Start at the thumb, continue till you’re done!
Lift up your Thumb – Name your character. Think Tom Thumb, Goldilocks, Harry, or any name in the world you want. Remember, the story will happen to this character.
Then extend your Pointer Finger – The pointer finger points to the journey the character will take. Decide where the character is going and very importantly, why? Usually it’s something the character wants or needs. (Think finding a buried treasure, hero’s glory, or castles in Spain).
The Pointer and Third Finger – Make a Scissors as the journey is cut off by a problem situation. What is the problem? Does a fire-breathing dragon appear? Did we lose our way in a dark misty forest? Now what do we do?
The Ring Finger – The ring finger reminds us that our main character owns a magical ring that gives wisdom about what to do, who to ask, or where to go, to find a solution to solve the problem. Don’t give up now, you're almost there!
The Little Finger – Comes at the end of our story to remind us of the little lesson we have learned from the stories adventure. What lesson did the character learn by going on his journey?
Games sorted by Reading Skills!
(Video lesson, worksheet, and game!)
https://www.roomrecess.com/pages/ReadingSkills.html
Get a set of dice and play "Read, Roll and Tell"!
After reading a story, roll the dice. Based on the number rolled, have each child answer the related question. Have each child take a turn rolling the dice...
Here are the dice number questions: 1. Talk about where the story takes place. 2. Identify and describe the main character. 3. Talk about when the story takes place. 4. Talk about your favorite part of the story. 5. Talk about a problem that took place in the story. 6. Talk about what this story makes you think of when reading it!
Educational Word Search Games for Kids!
https://happylearning.tv/en/games/word-search
*25 Activities for reading and writing fun!
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/25-activities-reading-and-writing-fun#grade
Here is a link to FREE Writing Prompt Calendars!
https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/resources/free-resources/writing-prompt-calendars/
Writing and editing tips!!
https://www.dkfindout.com/us/explore/top-writing-tips-editing/
HOW DO I WRITE A SCARY CAMPFIRE STORY??
https://www.dictionary.com/e/write-scary-story/
How to write your own scary story:
If you are interested in writing your own book for FREE, click on STORYJUMPER!! Click here for the "story starter guide" to help you get started!
Click here to create your book:
SCRIBBLITT!
Fill in the blanks and see the Silly Story you created,
Do a Word Search,
Play "Make-a-Word",
or play the Definition Game!
...and click below for Story Starters!
Story Starters
http://www.meddybemps.com/9.700.html
Create a STORY SPINE!!!
Write an Advice Column!
"Everyday Inspiration"
Conducting an Interview
Books, magazines, and the Internet aren't the only sources for research. Conducting an interview can be a great way to learn about a subject, too! An interview can be a lot of fun. You may learn unexpected things, and you'll feel like a reporter.
What Is Flash Fiction? It’s pretty simple: it’s just a really, really short story. It is a story that has around 500 - 1,000 words. It has to have a beginning, middle, and ending: usually, there are only one or two characters in the story!
There are other even shorter categories!
Six-Word Story: Exactly what it sounds like. This is challenging and involves telling a full story in only six words! Ex. “For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.” (Hemingway)
Twitter Story: These super-short stories consist of 140 characters or less—the amount that can fit in a tweet.
Dribble: A 50-word story is called a “dribble.”
Drabble: A 100-word story is called a “drabble.” This is one of the most popular categories of flash fiction, with all kinds of contests and challenges all over the web to help writers tap into their creativity!
"The Tempest" by Cliodhna
As momentum built, the water began to whirl and froth, some of it rising in huge waves to crash over the edge. There was no escape. No way to stop the waves other than wait for Granny to stop stirring.
"And that," she said, taking a dishcloth in her hand, "is what we call a storm in a teacup."
(What do you think "The Tempest" is an example of?)
WRITING FLASH FICTION!
https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-hmhco-vmg-craftcms-public/remote_learning_lit_ms_5_2.pdf
Great science fiction writers play with scientific facts to make a story more exciting. Sometimes the author pretends that a mystery has been solved or that humans have powers that they don’t have. And some science fiction has actually inspired scientists by helping them imagine what might be possible.
You can be a great sci-fi writer too! Use our template to create your own Space Travel Guide. The key is using some real science in your story. Then, let your imagination take off!
Free on-line thesaurus with games, writing prompts, and tips to help you improve your English!
https://www.thesaurus.com/writingprompts/writing-prompts-for-elementary-kids
https://www.dictionary.com/games/word-puzzle
WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF FAIRY TALES! More than 4,000 fairy tales, folk tales, and fables from around the world...Read, print, or download!
https://fairytalez.com/authors-and-collections/
Children's folktales, fables, fairytales, and legends!
https://www.pitara.com/fiction-for-kids/folktales/
Fairy Tales Guide
https://americanliterature.com/fairy-tales-guide
Aesop's Fables
Hundreds of years ago, merchants, missionaries, and other travelers made their way between the cities of Asia. They journeyed through mountains and deserts along the Silk Road. They traveled as far east as China and as far west as Europe, alongside camels in long caravans.
Along the way, at inns and oases, the travelers told stories. Many are fables — stories with a lesson about the consequences of good and foolish behavior. The characters are usually common people, or animals that speak and act like humans.
Some fables have traveled across thousands of years and dozens of cultures. The characters or settings may change, but the lesson stays the same.
Take a look at:
SILK ROAD FABLES
https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/anthropology/silk-road-fables2
Jewish StoryTime
https://www.chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/354788/jewish/Story-Time.htm
https://www.chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/1070660/jewish/Videos.htm
MYTHOLOGY!
https://www.factmonster.com/features/mythology
...and
https://ancienthistory.mrdonn.org/myths.html
CREATURE CATALOG
https://www.factmonster.com/culture-entertainment/mythology-folklore/creature-catalog
Welcome to the POETRY corner!
https://www.kidzone.ws/poetry/index.htm
The night is beautiful,
So the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful,
So the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.
Rhyming Poems for Kids
https://www.kidsgen.com/rhymes_and_poems/
HAIKU!
POETRY WRITING LESSONS FOR KIDS!
https://www.poetry4kids.com/lessons/poetry-writing-lessons/
https://www.poetry4kids.com/lessons/creativity-exercise-describe-the-sky/
INKLESS POETRY - YOU MAKE YOUR OWN!
(Drag the word tiles around to make your own poetry!)
http://inklesstales.com/poems/yourown.shtml
30 Ideas to celebrate National Poetry Month
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/national-poetry-month/
George Moses Horton
George loved words. But George was enslaved. Forced to work long hours, George was unable to attend school or learn how to read. But he was determined―he listened to the white children’s lessons and learned the alphabet. Then he taught himself to read. Soon, he began composing poetry in his head and reciting it as he sold fruits and vegetables on a nearby college campus. News of the slave poet traveled quickly among the students, and before long, George had customers for his poems. But George was still enslaved...Would he ever be free?
His poetic protests of his status are the first ever written by a slave in America.
By the time he was twenty, George Moses Horton had begun visiting the campus of The University of North Carolina eight miles away. There he sold students acrostics on the names of their sweethearts at twenty-five, fifty, and seventy-five cents.
Listen to a reading of
Poet: The Remarkable Story of
George Moses Horton
...that tells the story of an enslaved boy who was determined and taught himself to read. Soon, he began composing poetry in his head and reciting it aloud as he sold fruits and vegetables on a nearby college campus. News of the enslaved poet traveled quickly among the students, and before long, George had customers for his poems. George Moses Horton became the first southern Black writer to have his works published. His inspiring story impactfully shares the power of literacy combined with talent and determination.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc-i-cnn8lE
*This is a link to a short story called "Miss Awful"... by Arthur Cavanaugh. (You can download it, if you want.) It is for more mature readers, but has a GREAT lesson about judging someone before you really know them...(When Miss Orville arrives at St. Geoff's as a substitute teacher, she immediately makes a lot of changes, requiring more obedience from the students and doling out harsh disciplines. Her strict management inspires the nickname "Miss Awful". However, on her last day in class ... )
READ to find out!!
https://docplayer.net/37040974-Miss-awful-by-arthur-cavanaugh.html
BEDTIME MATH!!
https://bedtimemath.org/math-skills/
It's a great way for families with kids ages 3-9 to explore numbers in real life together...
We have two of these books in our library, and I just love them...Check out this website!
https://bedtimemath.org/category/daily-math/
...and more from Bedtime Math...
Click on these links below to bring you to two fun math "problems"! There are three levels for children to "solve"... wee kids, little kids, and big kids!
http://bedtimemath.org/fun-math-water-fountain-dog/
http://bedtimemath.org/there-goats-the-neighborhood/
Are you a Number Nut?? You will love this math website!
MATH AT WORK!!
https://www.hmhco.com/math-at-work
https://www.hmhco.com/webinar/math-meets-fashion
https://www.hmhco.com/webinar/math-meets-culinary-
artshttps://www.hmhco.com/webinar/math-meets-homebuilding
Telling Time game!
Just click on the clock and get started!
https://www.roomrecess.com/mobile/TimeTeller/play.html
Free virtual manipulatives and activities!!!! (virtual dice, ten-frames, unifix cubes, a rekenrek, etc.)
Try the shapes quiz!!
https://www.dkfindout.com/us/quiz/math/quiz-yourself-on-shapes/
Watch these videos to learn all about U.S. coins, including how coins are made, the history of coins, and coins that are in outer space!
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/videos
COIN COLLECTING FOR KIDS:
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/collecting
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/coins
Here is a coloring page that you can print and color of the Massachusetts state quarter!
https://www.usmint.gov/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2000_Massachusetts.pdf
Counting with Coins Game!
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/games/counting-with-coins
DRAMA FOR KIDS!
Tongue twisters are great for helping kids concentrate on working all their articulation muscles. And they’re just plain fun. :) They are used by drama students as a rehearsal warm up!
¨Before introducing a new tongue twister I usually ask my students to crinkle their face as tiny as possible for 5 seconds. Then to make their face as big as possible for 5 seconds.
Then I’ll introduce the tongue twister, and we’ll practice it as a group. After that I’ll ask a few brave students to stand and attempt to say it 5 times in a row.
Make sure you encourage them to use their “stage voice” when speaking.
Another great variation is to have the group stand in a circle, then ask each student to say the tongue twister in a different emotion. (Angry, sad, happy, scared, frustrated, confused, etc.) Or, begin to your right and challenge the students to begin happy but gradually get progressively more and more angry as students take turn around the circle.¨
The Ultimate List of Tongue Twisters
Unique New York
Three free throws
Red Leather, Yellow Leather
I thought a thought.
But the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought.
One-One was a racehorse.
Two-Two was one, too.
When One-One won one race, Two-Two won one, too.
Say this sharply, say this sweetly,
Say this shortly, say this softly.
Say this sixteen times very quickly.
Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers! (Repeat. Increase the tempo.)
Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep.
The seven silly sheep Silly Sally shooed Shilly-shallied south.
These sheep shouldn’t sleep in a shack; Sheep should sleep in a shed.
Red Bulb Blue Bulb Red Bulb Blue Bulb Red Bulb Blue Bulb
Red Blood Blue Blood
I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won’t wish the wish you wish to wish.
She sells seashells on the seashore.
Mix a box of mixed biscuits with a boxed biscuit mixer.
A proper copper coffee pot.
Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.
Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter, so Betty bought better butter to make the bitter butter better.
I thought a thought.
But the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought.
If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn’t have thought so much.
How much wood could a wood chuck; chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood.
Comical economists.
Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Sascha sews slightly slashed sheets shut.
She should shun the shinning sun.
The big black back brake broke badly.
The big beautiful blue balloon burst.
A shapeless sash sags slowly.
Smelly shoes and socks shock sisters.
Which wrist watches are Swiss wrist watches?
Dick kicks sticky bricks.
Shave a single shingle thin.
Stick strictly six sticks stumps.
Cinnamon aluminum linoleum.
New York is unanimously universally unique.
Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.
Flora’s freshly fried fish.
A bragging baker baked black bread.
Buy blue blueberry biscuits before bedtime.
She sold six shabby sheared sheep on ship.
The sixth sick sheik’s son slept.
These thousand tricky tongue twisters trip thrillingly off the tongue
Below are four free monologues for kids, perfect for use in drama classes.
Working on monologues is an important developmental tool for any actor. It provides the chance to work on your craft without relying on others.
Unfortunately a lot of monologues out there for kids tend to be on the “silly” side, without providing much in the way of substance.
The monologues below are super fun, but will also challenge you to dig deeper, as an aspiring actor/ress!
MONOLOGUE SAMPLE #1: SHARING
Some people think I don’t like sharing, but that isn’t true at all. I love sharing. I mean, what’s not to love about being able to go up to someone and say, “Hey, can I have some of that candy?” And then they give you some! Or, “Can I ride your bike for a while?” And then you get to ride their bike! Sharing is awesome. Sometimes you have to be careful, though. Like if someone comes up to me and says, “Can I have one of your cookies?” Well, if I gave them a cookie, then I might not have any cookies left to share with other people and that would be, like, the opposite of sharing. So I have to say no. Because sharing is really important.
MONOLOGUE SAMPLE #2: SCOUT
Before we moved here, we had this big dog named Scout. Mom always said he was a total mutt, but I think he was also part collie. And maybe part golden retriever. But he was definitely at least half mutt. Scout was supposed to be the whole family’s dog, but he was really mine. I mean, after school, it was me he would be waiting for. And when anyone threw his ball, I’m the one he always brought it back to. And at night, it was always my bed he slept in. But before we moved here, my Mom found out we weren’t allowed to have any pets, so we had to give him away to my cousins. I don’t really talk about it, but sometimes I dream about Scout. He’s got his ball in his mouth and he’s looking for me. And I’m saying, “Here, Scout. I’m right here.” But he doesn’t hear me, and he can’t see me, and I’m saying, “I’m right here. Scout. I’m right here.” And then, I don’t know, I guess I wake up . . . I don’t know if Scout dreams about me.
MONOLOGUE SAMPLE #3: VOTE
Hi, my name is Terry Taylor and you should vote for me for class president, because of all the really amazing ideas I have to make all of our lives here at Garfield a better place. Like, OK, for instance, this one idea that I have that there should be a table out in the hallway all the time filled with free cookies and cupcakes and brownies and maybe those amazing frittata bites that they sell at Mr. Chulo’s down on the corner. I mean, if everyone likes frittata bites or even knows what they are. They’re really good. This would improve school morale and also keep everyone’s energy up for better studying.
Another amazing idea I have is to completely get rid of grades, mostly because I think they’re elitist and also because even someone who fails is actually a successful person in their own way. So there’s that.
And finally, I would like to introduce a by-law or something, that would make it socially not acceptable for anyone to be called a geek or maybe shoved into a locker or have their lunch money stolen just because they maybe wear glasses or, for instance, are running for class president. So there’s that. Thank you . . . Terry Taylor. Vote for Terry Taylor . . . Thank you.
MONOLOGUE SAMPLE #4: UNIVERSE
I saw on the Discovery Channel where a long time ago, before the beginning of time, the entire universe was as small as the head of a pin. And everything was inside it. Stars, planets, houses, people, cars – other pins. Everything in the universe. And then one day, this head of a pin just exploded and everything came out at like a million degrees hot and million miles an hour. And all the stars and planets and people and cars just kept getting bigger and bigger, until they filled up all of space and all of time, just burning and melting and spinning. And as soon as I heard that, I knew that I was just like that pin, and that one day I’m gonna explode too. And when I do, fire and stars and whole worlds will come out of me and they’ll be a million degrees hot and they’ll travel so far and so fast that I’ll never have to come back here again. Not ever . . . Not ever.
FREE SCRIPTS FOR KIDS!
https://a2zhomeschooling.com/all_time_favorites/free-scripts-for-kids/ .
Be a musical explorer!!
Music, Games, and More
https://www.classicsforkids.com/music-games/
Compose your own music!
https://www.classicsforkids.com/music-games/
Toy Theater - MUSIC!
https://toytheater.com/category/music/
PBS KIDS Music Games
INCREDIBOX
https://www.incredibox.com/demo/
PAINT WITH MUSIC!
https://artsandculture.google.com/experiment/paint-with-music/YAGuJyDB-XbbWg?hl=en
Visual Music
(Geometric patterns set to music - celebrating Oskar Fischinger!)
This Doodle allows you to plot a piece of music by moving your cursor across an invisible grid and hitting the mouse to decide on the location of your note. The music plays from the left hand side of the screen to the right, picking up and playing your notes . You can choose between four different shapes that signify different notes. When each one is struck, it proceeds to fly out of the screen in much the same way as one of Oskar Fischinger's stop-motion paper shapes!
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles/2017/fischinger/fischinger17.9.html?hl=en&doodle=undefined
VIRTUAL PIANO
https://recursivearts.com/virtual-piano/
BeastBox - DJ with animal sounds!
Make your own music by mixing wild animal voices with beatbox loops and unlock Beast Mode by adding 5 animals from the same ecosystem.
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/features/beastbox/
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Games for Kids
https://www.dallassymphony.org/community-education/dso-kids/teacher-parent-resources/games/
Have fun in the CHROME MUSIC LAB!
Chrome Music Lab is a website that makes learning music more accessible through fun, hands-on experiments.
Many teachers have been using Chrome Music Lab as a tool in their classrooms to explore music and its connections to science, math, art, and more.
Check out the Song Maker experiment, which lets you make and share your own songs!
https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/
PLAY A KANDINSKY
What if you could hear color??
https://artsandculture.google.com/experiment/sgF5ivv105ukhA
MUSIC Fun Worksheets
https://www .musicfun.net.au/juniors.htm
During the time of slavery in the United States, many enslaved people escaped to go north and seek their freedom. The Underground Railroad is the symbolic name given to the routes they traveled from safe house to safe house until they reached freedom. Music played a big role as songs gave coded instructions for the routes to follow and warned of dangers along the way. The songs also encouraged enslaved people to join the Underground Railroad; provided inspiration and support for the long journey north; and celebrated the end of a successful trip to freedom. Listen to some of the songs that helped enslaved people escape to the North, as well as others that celebrate freedom!
THE MUSIC OF FREEDOM
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/undergroundrailroad/kids-and-education.htm
Is it anime or manga? Anime and manga are two visual media that originated in Japan and share a unique visual style.
Anime refers to animated shows or movies. (Since the word anime is so closely related to the English animation, you will always be able to remember that anime means animated shows or films!) Manga refers to comic books or graphic novels.
DRAWING TUTORIALS:
https://howtodrawforkids.com/category/drawing-tutorials/anime/
Beginner Guide to Drawing Manga and Anime
ANIME and MANGA Tutorials
http://www.supercoloring.com/drawing-tutorials/anime-manga
Anime and Manga Coloring Pages
http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/anime-manga
Boruto (manga) printable coloring pages ...
(If you don't have a printer at home, you can ask or email me and I will run some off for you!)
https://coloringhome.com/boruto-coloring-pages
ORIGAMI for Kids
https://www.origamiway.com/very-simple-origami-for-kids.shtml
...MORE ORIGAMI
http://www.supercoloring.com/paper-crafts/origami-paper-folding
Brush Ninja - A Free Hand-drawn Animated Gif Maker
How to Draw a Tiger
https://www.easydrawingtips.com/how-to-draw-a-tiger-face-head-step-by-step/
Make a Chinese Dragon and more...
Multicultural, Seasonal, and Educational Craft Ideas and Activities!
https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/resources/free-resources/crafts
WHAT IS BALLET? (for kids)
Classical Indian Dance!
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/india-for-kids.html
All about Diwali - The Festival of Lights!
https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/whats-the-story-diwali
The Diwali story may vary based on the person who is telling it and the culture of their region of India. Diwali is one of the few holidays in the world that transcends region or religion, and is celebrated by Indians of all backgrounds!
https://www.pitara.com/art-craft-for-kids/coloring-pages/diwali-coloring-pages-for-kids/
https://www.journalbuddies.com/prompts-for-holidays/diwali-story-and-writing-prompts/
Day 1: The first day of the Diwali festival is all about preparation. People usually spend this day cleaning their homes. They also may take time to shop for gold, as they believe that gold will bring them good luck throughout the entire year.
Second Day: After their home is clean and the supplies have been purchased, people celebrating the holiday begin to decorate. They use clay lamps, called diyas, and light them throughout their homes. They also use colored sand to create designs on the floor.
Day 3: The third day of the Diwali festival is the most significant day of the entire celebration. This is the day that families gather together. The celebration begins with a prayer for Lakshmi puja. After they have finished worshipping the Goddess Lakshmi, everyone enjoys a delicious meal and a colorful fireworks celebration.
Day 4: On the fourth day, the first day of the new year is celebrated. This is typically a day marked with visits to family members and friends. People sometimes exchange gifts with each other on this day, as a way of sending their best Diwali wishes for the new year.
Fifth Day: The final day of the celebration is all about connecting with family. On this day, brothers visit the homes of their married sisters. Their sisters always make an elaborate meal to honor their brothers.
Performance: Stepping
https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/bd0f7456-22b5-47b7-8180-4f3bcefc8cad/performance-stepping/
This is a really cool site for art if you like to draw!
I love "Mandalas" and "Doodle Blocks"!
https://blog.ooly.com/drawing-coloring-art-activities-kids-adults/
ART Games for Kids
https://artsology.com/games.php
Hangman (with words and names from all areas of art)
https://artsology.com/hangman.php
Kandinsky for Kids
https://eduart4kids.com/kandinsky-art-for-kids/
https://eduart4kids.com/category/famous-artists/
Toy Theater - ART!
https://toytheater.com/category/art/
STEP- BY -STEP ¨HOW TO DRAW¨ TUTORIALS
https://artprojectsforkids.org/gallery-new/
https://artprojectsforkids.org/coloring-page/
Google Arts and Culture!
This is an amaaayyyyzzzing site that you will loooove!
https://artsandculture.google.com/
Play with Arts and Culture!
https://artsandculture.google.com/project/games
Compare cultural moments in time!
https://artsandculture.google.com/experiment/what-came-first/ZQGBUPErEE3bVg
Let the colors guide your journey through art works!
https://artsandculture.google.com/color?col=GREEN
Learn about artists!
https://www.theartstory.org/artists/
12 artworks you will love to zoom into!
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/12-artworks-you-ll-love-to-zoom-into/WwLiy-4s3wl8KA
Van Gogh Art for Children
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/art-and-stories/children
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection
Anyone can draw a shark or create a shark cartoon with a little practice!
Here are some tips and techniques for drawing sharks. We'll also show you how to create a comic strip using your shark drawings.
...amd much, much more!!
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/illustration/discover/how-to-draw-a-shark.html
DRAW with an eraser?!
First completely cover a piece of paper in charcoal or graphite. Rub your drawing tools all over the page. Have fun with it and don’t be afraid to get messy. Try your best to fill the entire page with dark marks.
How many techniques can we use to fill your paper with color? Let’s try scribbling. Or maybe scraping our pencil sideways across the paper. Do you have any of your own techniques you want to share?
What’s the best shading method for you?
After you have completely covered your paper, now it’s time to use the eraser to create an image of your choice. But what to draw?
The process of making this picture will feel different since you will be making your image by erasing your previous coloring. Sometimes it’s easier to draw from observation. This means you’re looking at something like your favorite action figure, a car outside your window, your blanket tossed on your bed, or a family member posing for a portrait.
It also doesn’t have to be real or something you’ve seen. It can be a pattern or design you like, something from memory or something from your imagination.
Drawing Tutorials!
http://www.supercoloring.com/sections/drawing-tutorials
...and more Coloring Pages!
http://www.supercoloring.com/sections/coloring-pages
"How to Draw" for kids
https://howtodrawforkids.com/drawing-worksheets/
Draw a monarch butterfly...
https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/biodiversity/draw-a-monarch2
...and dinos!
https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology/drawing-dinos2
How to Draw a Tiger Face Step-by-Step!
TheArtStory.org helps millions of people each year understand and enjoy every style of art!
https://www.theartstory.org/artists/
Nature and Conservation Corner for Kids
ZooBorns!!
Create your own herd of extinct or imaginary animals!
https://www.nma.gov.au/learn/diy/extinct-animals
"I Spy - Find the Animals " Game
https://carolinatigerrescue.org/wp-content/games/ISpy/index.html
Do you like Dinosaurs?
https://www.factmonster.com/dinosaurs
Dinosaur Field Guide
https://pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain/fieldguide/
HORSES
"What is a horse?" Click on the little question marks and see and learn facts about horses!
https://equineguelph.ca/learn_objects/What_is_a_Horse_FINAL/story_html5.html
Learn to speak horse!
https://thehorseportal.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/learn_to_speak_FINAL.pdf
Click on the links below for fun horse facts, information about horses, test your knowledge, ranch sounds, and horse terminology!
https://circlerranch.com/fun-horse-facts/
https://circlerranch.com/horse-information/
https://circlerranch.com/test-horse-knowledge/
https://circlerranch.com/ranch-sounds/
https://circlerranch.com/equine-terminology/
COW Facts for Kids!
https://www.littleladoo.com/cow-facts-for-kids/
https://supersimple.com/article/all-about-cows/
https://www.timeforkids.com/g56/from-ranch-to-lab-2/?rl=en-890
https://pbskids.org/arthur/games/tower-of-cows
More Animal Facts for Kids
Polar Bear Quiz!
Endangered Species of Animals...Click on each animal to learn more about them!
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?sort=extinction_status&direction=desc
INSIDE THE BEEHIVE!
https://www.wholekidsfoundation.org/inside-the-beehive
DK (Dorling Kindersley)
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO FIND OUT?
Find out about computer coding, space, the human body, dinosaurs, and much more!
*GENIUS QUIZ!!
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/personality-quizzes/what-kind-of-genius-are-you-/
Crack Mysterious Messages!
https://www.cryptoclub.org/#vComics
Use these tools to help you encrypt, decrypt, and encode messages
https://www.cryptoclub.org/#vCiphers
Kids' News - Current Events!
KIDS NEWS!
https://www.kidsnews.com.au/news
News Stories for Kids:
TIME for Kids
https://www.timeforkids.com/k1/sections/business/
Tween Tribune is a free online educational service offered by the Smithsonian for use by K-12 grade Teachers and students. TTribune consists of daily news sites for kids, tweens, and teens, and includes video materials about current events, history, and art, culture, and science
https://www.tweentribune.com/category/junior/
Blood Snow in Antarctica
https://smartypantsmagazineforkids.com/2024/03/05/blood-snow-in-antarctica/
The IDITAROD for Kids!
Each year mushers, with the help of their sled dogs, race across Alaska's rugged and wild terrain from Anchorage to Nome. They compete for nearly $50,000 in first-place prize money...
In 1925, a life-or-death race to rescue the children of Nome, AK, from disease made an international hero of one sled dog — and eventually led to the creation of Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race.
In January 1925, doctors realized that a potentially deadly diphtheria epidemic was poised to sweep through Nome’s young people. The only serum that could stop the outbreak was in Anchorage, nearly a thousand miles away. But the lone aircraft that could quickly deliver the medicine had been dismantled for the winter. In desperation, officials turned to a much lower-tech solution: moving the medicine by sled dog.
A musher embarked from Anchorage on the first leg of a remarkable dog-sled relay aimed at delivering the needed serum to Nome. More than 20 mushers took part, battling temperatures that rarely rose above 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and winds that sometimes blew strong enough to knock over sleds and dogs. Reporters brought news of the race to a world suddenly transfixed by the drama in the far north.
On February 1, 1925, the package was handed off for the last time to a musher named Gunnar Kassen in the village of Bluff. Kassen’s sled dog team, led by Balto, set off to cover the final leg to Nome.
Soon after the team left Nenana, a blinding blizzard began, dropping temperatures to -50 degrees and generating wind gusts in excess of 50 mph. Kassen found himself unable to navigate, and almost gave up all hope of making it to Nome in time. But Balto knew the trail well, and, following his instincts, led the team through the cold and snow.
Over the next 20 hours, Balto slowly led his sled dog team over the final 53 miles. On February 2 at 5.30 AM, the team finally arrived in Nome. The dogs were too tired to even bark, but the serum had successfully been delivered — only seven days after leaving Anchorage, and just 127 1/2 hours after leaving Nenana.
Balto was suddenly a world-famous celebrity; for two years after the serum run, the dog and some of his teammates traversed the continental United States as part of a traveling show, which concluded with the unveiling of a life size statue of Balto in New York City’s Central Park on December 17, 1925. Sculpted by F.G. Roth, the bronze sculpture is New York’s only statue commemorating a dog. The statue includes a plaque with an inscription that reads:
“Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed anti toxin 600 miles over treacherous waters, through arctic blizzards, from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925 – Endurance, Fidelity, Intelligence.”
After Balto died in 1933, his body was preserved and displayed at Cleveland’s Natural History Museum.
FREE Online Balto Resources:
On the first Saturday in March, the annual event known as "The Last Great Race on Earth" -- the Iditarod Sled Dog Race -- begins! This competition challenges entrants to traverse more than 1,100 miles of Alaskan terrain in extreme weather conditions under the power of teams of sled dogs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nFRNl01nNI
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2023/03/14/ryan-redington-wins-2023-iditarod/
https://www.adn.com/section/outdoors-adventure/iditarod/
https://iditarod.com/edu/category/students/
https://iditarod.com/edu/primary-grades-fiction/
https://iditarod.com/zuma/virtual-trail-journey-nome/
http://sartis.reedschools.org/uploads/1/3/2/8/13289880/akiak.pdf
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/alaskan-malamute/
Take the thrill of the chase to a new level in your reading program! Have a replica trail map in your room with each student's name on a small image of a sled dog. Start them off in Anchorage and have them read, read, READ their way to Nome! Each page read can equal a mile on the trail. Move the students' dogs along as they read through the month of March. As students accumulate 1,000 miles, recognize them for completing the race!
https://www.thoughtco.com/free-iditarod-printables-1832402
https://cloud.iditarod.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Musher-on-the-Trail.pdf?e2ccc440
https://americacomesalive.com/balto-and-togo-two-great-sled-dogs/
https://www.cmnh.org/science-news/blog/march-2020/balto-faq
Jr. Iditarod Sled Dog Race!
https://apps.asdk12.org/staff/wiley_lisa/HOMEWORK/244111_tot___1_.pdf
https://www.hasd.org/faculty/TanyaLynaugh/Pro%20Con%20Articles%20Scope.pdf
http://www.startsateight.com/balto-and-the-idiatrod-trail-unit/
https://www.embarkonthejourney.com/ultimate-iditarod-book-list/
Superhero Soap Game Show
https://sciencespin2.scholastic.com/
Play "Simon Says"
https://www.factmonster.com/games/simonsays
MAGIC TRICKS for Kids!
https://magictricksforkids.org/list-magic-tricks/
Make these cute flower rings out of pipe cleaners!🌹💐
https://www.woojr.com/pipe-cleaner-flower-rings/
Fun with pipe cleaners...
https://frugalfun4boys.com/adorable-pipe-cleaner-animals/
https://www.kidskubby.com/fun-easy-pipe-cleaner-animals-craft-tutorial-pencil-toppers/
This website is so cool if you would like to see prom dresses and even some tuxes made out of duct tape!! So incredibly creative!
https://www.duckbrand.com/stuck-at-prom/2020-gallery
DIY Printable Paper Dolls
https://abeautifulmess.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ABM-Holiday-Paper-Dolls-Printable.pdf
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS!
https://www.optics4kids.org/optical-illusions
QUILLING is the art of curling paper into shapes! Check this out!
http://www.inklesstales.com/quilling/
MORSE CODE for Kids!
https://picklebums.com/images/printables/picklebums_morsecode.pdf
Write your own secret code!
https://picklebums.com/images/printables/picklebums_makeyourowncode.pdf
Cool website with the Auction Game, the Size of Space,
Spend Bill Gates Money, etc.
Geography for Kids:
MAP YOUR WORLD!
Create Your Own Map
Another fun activity is to get a piece of paper, some colored pencils, and a ruler, and create your own map. It can be an imaginary place. Include mountains, roads, forests, bodies of water, or other features. Create a "legend" at the end and color it all in.
(We recently completed “Princess City,” which had “Knight Lake” and was bordered on the South by “Rapunzel Sea.” Although it was a completely made-up place, we learned about compass directions, topography, and scale.)
MAPMAKER! MAKE ME A MAP Game:
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/mapmaker/mapmaker.html
Mapping Skills Games!
https://www.quia.com/jg/338148.html
STATE FACTS FOR STUDENTS
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sis/resources/data-tools/state-facts.html
States and Capitals
Click the state you’re interested in below for quick access to a variety of state specific facts and other useful information.
Hover over the state in order to see its abbreviation and capital city.
The U.S. : 50 States - Map Quiz
https://www.geoguessr.com/seterra/en/vgp/3003
(Help Ben put the states in their proper location on the map!)
https://bensguide.gpo.gov/states5/
"Kids in the House"
The U.S. House of Representatives plays an important role in the United States government. Learn more about its Members, responsibilities, and history through these lessons and activities.
Welcome to the United States House of Representatives!
https://kids-clerk.house.gov/middle-school/
NATIONAL PARKS for Kids!
https://www.nps.gov/kids/online-activity-guides.htm
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/nature/topic/national-parks
NEW BEDFORD WHALING:
https://www.nps.gov/nebe/learn/kidsyouth/junior-ranger-journey.htm
https://www.nps.gov/nebe/learn/historyculture/whalehunt.htm
Download these "Greetings from Around the World" cards:
https://d43fweuh3sg51.cloudfront.net/media/media_files/b5fecb2d-63d8-41b3-a35b-70ac95bc14b4.pdf
KIDS' WORLD TRAVEL GUIDE!!
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/
This Kids' Travel Guide online information covers not only the basic travel facts and the main attractions of the world’s countries, but it will explain the foreign country’s cultures and customs for children and will help kids to gain a better understanding of the new cultures.
*Kids' National Geographic: Explore Countries!
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/
World Cultures Collection
PBS KIDS
COUNTRIES for Kids
https://www.worldcountriesforkids.com/category/north-america/
Carmen Sandiego
FEARLESS KIDS AROUND THE WORLD!!
Meet young heroes working to do good with bravery, resilience, and kindness!
VIETNAM for Kids
https://www.atozkidsstuff.com/vietnam.html
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/vietnam
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/vietnam-facts.html
IRAQ for Kids
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/iraq
https://www.ducksters.com/geography/country/iraq.php
RUSSIA for Kids:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/russia
https://kidstravelbooks.com/russian-culture-for-kids/
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/russia-facts.html
https://www.globetrottinkids.com/countries/russia/
PUERTO RICO for Kids
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/states/article/puerto-rico
https://www.coolkidfacts.com/puerto-rico-facts/
TURKEY for Kids:
https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-turkey/
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/turkey
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/turkey-facts.html
https://www.globetrottinkids.com/turkey/
AFRICA Facts for Kids
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/africa-facts.html
UGANDA for kids
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/facts-about-uganda.html
https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/uganda
Learn about CHINA!
https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/china
... and learn about the Chinese Zodiac!
For Kids: The word zodiac means circle of animals. But there are not any real animals in the Chinese zodiac. A year is divided into 12 period, and each period has an animal assigned to it. Over the years, the Chinese zodiac developed into a superstitution, a way to tell the future, by knowing when you were born. Each animal sign had meaning to it. Based on your sign (animal), you were born with certain characteristics that both helped and hindered you. It was your job to build on the good ones, and overcome the bad ones.
https://china.mrdonn.org/zodiac.html
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/which-chinese-new-year-animal-are-you-like
CAMBODIA for Kids!
https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-cambodia/
https://www.oddizzi.com/teachers/explore-the-world/places/asia/cambodia/
https://www.worldcountriesforkids.com/cambodia/
Graphic designer Kiri Schwiet – a second-generation Cambodian American – has written a children’s book aimed at connecting kids with Cambodian culture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuN4DLODBCQ
Asian American History for Kids
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Asian-Americans/352792
Nepal
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/nepal-facts.html
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Nepal/345753
Nepal is a small, mountainous country in Asia. Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is on the border between Nepal and China. For a long time the mountains kept Nepal closed to the outside world. Nepal’s capital is Kathmandu.
Nepal sits south of China and is bordered on all other sides by India. The part of China that borders Nepal is called the Tibet Autonomous Region, or just Tibet.
Fun Facts about Nepal
https://fulltimeexplorer.com/fun-facts-about-nepal/
There are more than 100 different ethnic groups and over 90 languages are spoken in Nepal.
The Nepali are known as very welcoming people who are friendly and open towards visitors.
A cool site about Japan for kids:
Video clips on Japan:
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Korea/600277
https://www.pbsnc.org/blogs/education/celebrate-korean-american-culture-with-your-kids/
https://historyforkids.org/korean-war/
Somalia
https://multiculturalkidblogs.com/2017/07/28/facts-somalia/
https://www.ducksters.com/geography/country.php?country=Somalia
HAITI
https://www.easygeographyforkid.com/haiti/
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/haiti
Dominican Republic
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Dominican-Republic/345680
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/dominican-republic-facts.html
Join Noah for adventures in Spanish on PBS Kids games!!
https://pbskids.org/noah/games/lostandfound/
https://pbskids.org/noah/games/gamesinvideo/splash/
https://pbskids.org/noah/games/curtainup/
A Fun Way to Learn Spanish!
https://onlinefreespanish.com/
Learn English
This site was created to provide assistance to Spanish speaking students just learning to speak English.
https://www.internet4classrooms.com/learn_eng.htm
Online Spanish Flashcard Match
https://www.internet4classrooms.com/learn_eng.htm
Angel Island Immigration Station, sometimes known as "Ellis Island of the West," began construction in 1905 and opened January 21, 1910. The main difference between Ellis Island and Angel Island was that the majority of the immigrants that traveled through Angel Island were from Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and India.
Angel Island Immigration Station was located in San Francisco Bay, on Angel Island, which operated from January 21, 1910 to November 5, 1940, where immigrants entering the United States were detained and interrogated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM200MtJAIQ
(Anti-Asian sentiment was on the rise since the start of the California Gold rush . To curb the influx of Chinese immigrants, President Chester Arthur signed into laws the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which suspended Chinese immigration.
“The Angel Island Immigration Station was not a welcoming place," Lee said. "There is no statue of liberty to welcome immigrants. This was a place to exclude. Here, the idea was to figure out a way to detain people and send them back.”)
Angel Island Immigration Museum for Kids (interactive)
https://www.aiisf.org/aiimkids
https://www.teachervision.com/community-ways-life/chinatowns-and-other-asian-american-enclaves
Check out the history of chopsticks and tea!
https://www.teachervision.com/asian-hi
https://www.teachervision.com/asian-history/history-of-tea
Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story
Click on the pdf link below to read
Passage to Freedom. It tells the amazing story of Chiune Sugihara, who single-handedly saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis.
https://www.ushmm.org/collections/bibliography/chiune-sugihara
https://kids.kiddle.co/Chiune_Sugihara
Chiune Sugihara (杉原 千畝, Sugihara Chiune, 1 January 1900 – 31 July 1986) was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kaunas, Lithuania. During the Second World War, Sugihara helped thousands of Jews flee Europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through Japanese territory, risking his job and the lives of his family. The fleeing Jews were refugees from German-occupied Western Poland and Soviet-occupied Eastern Poland, as well as residents of Lithuania. In 1985, the State of Israel honored Sugihara as one of the Righteous Among the Nations for his actions. He is the only Japanese national to have been so honored. The year 2020 was "The Year Chiune Sugihara" in Lithuania. It has been estimated as many as 100,000 people alive today are the descendants of the recipients of Sugihara visas.
******************************************
Native American Facts for Kids!
Native Americans are not extinct. There are almost 7 million Native American people in the United States today!
https://www.historyforkids.net/native-americans.html
https://www.americanhistoryforkids.com/category/native-americans/
African American Biographies:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/topic/african-american-heroes
https://www.factmonster.com/african-american-biographies-category
African-Americans from A to Z
Write down an important African-American from history for each letter of the alphabet (or as many as you can)!
History for Kids: Racial Justice Timeline 1954-1968:
For each event a few books are listed, both fiction and non-fiction, that bring the events and people to life. Take a book walk through history to learn about these determined, brave, fascinating people who stood together so no one stood alone.
"None of us know anything about disliking one another when we come into the world...It is something that is passed on to us. We should never look at a person and judge them by the color of their skin. That is the lesson I learned in first grade."
- Ruby Bridges
African American Heroes
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/topic/african-american-heroes
https://tinybeans.com/black-history-figures/
...and the William Still story!!
William Still was just a boy when he helped the first one escape. He never knew the man's name; only that he was being hunted by slave catchers.
But in the years ahead, there would be many hundreds more, and Still vowed their stories would never be forgotten.
"The heroism and desperate struggle that many of our people had to endure should be kept green in the memory of this and coming generations."
And he kept his promise. His diaries tell the stories of the great slave exodus known as the Underground Railroad.
Impossible escapes . . . heart-breaking separations . . . and families re-united...
William Still's parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a tragedy that haunted the family. As a young man, William went to work for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he raised money, planned rescues, and helped freedom seekers who had traveled north. And then one day, a strangely familiar man came into William's office, searching for information about his long-lost family. Could it be?? Motivated by his own family’s experience, William began collecting the stories of thousands of other freedom seekers. As a result, he was able to reunite other families and build a remarkable source of information, including encounters with Harriet Tubman, Henry "Box" Brown, and William and Ellen Craft.
William Still was referred to as "The Father of the Underground Railroad" !
https://socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/williamstill.htm
https://kids.kiddle.co/William_Still
https://www.pbs.org/video/wned-tv-history-underground-railroad-william-still-story/
Scholastic News - "Escape to Freedom"
https://sn2.scholastic.com/issues/2019-20/030220.html
African-American History e-cards:
http://r53-vip-soup.pbskids.org/aaworld/ecards.html
BUFFALO SOLDIERS
https://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/kids/forts/8.html
https://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Buffalo_soldiers
https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/buffalo-soldier/603381
https://kids.kiddle.co/Buffalo_Soldier
POMPEII
The city of Pompeii was a major resort city during the times of Ancient Rome. However, in 79 AD, disaster struck the city when it was buried under 20 feet of ash and debris from the eruption of the nearby volcano, Mount Vesuvius.
https://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_rome/pompeii.php
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/pompeii
Interesting Facts about the City of Pompeii
The eruption occurred one day after the religious festival to Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.
The amount of energy released by the eruption was roughly one hundred thousands times the thermal energy released by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
The nearby city of Herculaneum was also destroyed.
Archeologists found holes in the ashes that were once the bodies of people that were buried in the eruption. By pouring plaster into these holes, scientists have been able to make detailed casts of many of the citizens of Pompeii.
The recovered city of Pompeii is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.
The city was located around 5 miles from Mount Vesuvius.
"The three most dominant and advanced civilizations that developed in the Americas prior to the arrival of the Europeans were the Aztecs, the Maya, and the Inca..."
https://www.ducksters.com/history/aztec_maya_inca.php
https://www.sutori.com/en/story/aztec-inca-maya--mD55p7qumfe14PpZVvE2kgK1
https://www.funkidslive.com/learn/top-10-facts/top-10-facts-about-the-aztecs/
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/inca-civilization
Women are Warriors, too!
https://lsintspl3.wgbh.org/en-us/lesson/ilwnedcpb20-il-womenwarriors/7
SHE MADE HISTORY GALLERY
http://shemadehistory.com/she-made-history-gallery/
Zaha Hadid Facts for Kids
Zaha Hadid was a famous architect, artist, and designer. She was sometimes called ‘The Queen of the Curve’ because her futuristic building designs often incorporated curved facades.
"Your success will not be determined by your gender or your ethniity, but only on the scope of your dreams and your hard work to achieve them."
Zaha Hadid
https://primaryfacts.com/9598/zaha-hadid-facts/
https://kids.kiddle.co/Zaha_Hadid
Zaha Hadid Biography
https://www.notablebiographies.com/supp/Supplement-Fl-Ka/Hadid-Zaha.html
The National Womens' Hall of Fame!
https://www.factmonster.com/biographies/national-womens-hall-fame
https://www.womenofthehall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Crossword.pdf
https://www.womenofthehall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Drawing-Activity.pdf
https://www.womenofthehall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Quiz.pdf
WOMEN from all walks of life are heroes!
CAREER GIRLS!
https://www.careergirls.org/explore-careers/careers/
Who was Anne Frank?
Liberty's Kids:
American Revolution episodes
(full series - 40 episodes)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHeaIWvdbER3Ic90BzhPsH2aJ5KI3UtmM
(These will not be accessible to students through their chromebooks, but can be utilized by Ms. Fonte or a teacher to present!)
KID CITIZEN Episodes!
Bedtime History!
https://bedtimehistorystories.com/stories/
Ancient history, American history, Geography, etc. ( a wealth of information on many different subjects for kids...)
https://ancienthistory.mrdonn.org/
The Code of Hammurabi was one of several sets of laws in the ancient Near East. The code of laws was arranged in groups, so that everyone who read the laws would know what was required of them. There were earlier laws, and later laws such as the Law of Moses in the Hebrew Bible..
For each crime, a specific punishment is listed. The punishments tended to be harsh... They included death, cutting off a body part, and the use of the "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth" philosophy. The penalties of Hammurabi's laws may seem cruel to us, but the fact that he put into writing the laws of his kingdom is considered an important step forward in the development of civilization.
https://kids.kiddle.co/Code_of_Hammurabi
https://www.historyforkids.net/code-of-hammurabi.html
http://www.phillipmartin.info/hammurabi/homepage.htm
History for Kids
https://www.ducksters.com/history/
US Armed Forces for Kids (Branches of the Military)
https://www.coolkidfacts.com/us-armed-forces/
https://www.ducksters.com/history/us_government/united_states_armed_forces.php
Featured: Young Heroes
Young people who did not let their age deter them from their commitment to help make a difference!
Biographies of People Who Have Shaped Our World !
https://www.pitara.com/non-fiction-for-kids/biographies-for-kids/
BIOGRAPHIES of United States Presidents
https://www.factmonster.com/people/us-presidents/biographies-us-presidents
https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/
Choose a Biography (for Kids)!
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/browse/index/biography#/
The Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad built across the United States of America. The building of it started when Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 into law during the American Civil War.
Much of it was built by the Central Pacific Railroad, building east from Sacramento, California, and the Union Pacific Railroad building West from Omaha, Nebraska. The two railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah on May 10 in the year 1869. Much of it was built by people who came to the U.S. from China and Ireland. It cut the time to go across the United States from months to weeks and later days. At the time of its completion, it was one of the longest railroads in the world.
Click on The Great Race to Promontory – Read the story of the first American transcontinental railroad, complete with historical photos.
The Chinese Transcontinental Railroad Workers:
https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/the-transcontinental-railroad-gallery/ken-burns-the-west/
https://bedtimehistorystories.com/history-of-the-transcontinental-railroad-for-kids/
https://westernexpansion.mrdonn.org/railroads.html
https://junior.scholastic.com/issues/2018-19/051319/the-railroad-that-changed-america.html#1040L
https://www.nps.gov/articles/upload/Jr-Ranger-Railroad-508-version-8_KDG_RdWPassedAltText.pdf
Sign Language for Kids:
https://www.pbs.org/video/full-time-kid-sign-language-alphabet/
Click on this link for a download of ASL (American Sign Language) letters that you can cut and paste to spell your own name!
https://kidcourses.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ASL-ALPHABET-Cut-and-Paste.pdf
If you were blind and couldn't see, how would you be able to read???
BRAILLE for Kids:
https://braillebug.org/louis-braille-biography/
The Helen Keller Kids Museum
https://www.afb.org/about-afb/history/online-museums/helen-keller-museum
Religions of the World
https://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/Religion.html
The Way I See It:
A Story about Different Points of View!
https://do2learn.com/games/bullybook/index.html
Feelings
Confused, sad, mad, glad? Check out this section to learn about these emotions and many more - and how to deal with them.
https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/feeling/?WT.ac=k-nav-feeling#catschool
Author Michael Rosen talks about being SAD...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_TOAQa5Ieo
"Eddie and the Car"
https://michaelrosen.fandom.com/wiki/Eddie_and_the_Car
Howard B. Wigglebottom Lessons
https://wedolisten.org/Lessons
https://wedolisten.org/fun-stuff
https://wedolisten.org/games2020/writeownbook/writeownbook.html
Once a day you should take a break from all the rush. Give yourself a few minutes of relaxation and become a bit calmer. Pay attention to the little things that surround you which are usually unnoticed. Follow your natural curiosity and release your inner explorer, just a few minutes per day.
These relaxing environments will encourage you to stop and listen, watch and feel!
HIGHLIGHTS!
JOKES and QUIZZES for Kids!
https://www.highlightskids.com/jokes
Which pizza topping are you?
(P.S. I'm "pineapple")
https://www.highlightskids.com/jokes/quiz/which-pizza-topping-are-you
What sport are you??
https://www.highlightskids.com/jokes/quiz/what-sport-are-you
HIGHLIGHTS Kids Explore!
https://www.highlightskids.com/explore
JOKES for Kids!
1. What does a cloud wear under his raincoat?
Thunderwear.
2. Two pickles fell out of a jar onto the floor. What did one say to the other?
Dill with it.
3. What time is it when the clock strikes 13?
Time to get a new clock.
4. How does a cucumber become a pickle?
It goes through a jarring experience.
5. What did one toilet say to the other?
You look a bit flushed.
6. What do you call two birds in love?
Tweethearts
7. How does a scientist freshen her breath?
With experi-mints.
8. Why did the student eat his homework?
Because the teacher told him it was a piece of cake.
9. What did the little corn say to the mama corn?
Where is pop corn?
Knock, Knock Jokes:
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Goliath. Goliath who? Goliath down, you look-eth tired!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Broccoli? Broccoli who? Broccoli doesn’t have a last name, silly.
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Wooden shoe. Wooden shoe who? Wooden shoe like to hear another joke?
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Amish. Amish who? Really? You don’t look like a shoe!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Boo. Boo hoo? Why are you crying?
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Atch. Atch who? Bless you!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? A little old lady. A little old lady who? I didn’t know you could yodel!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Cows go. Cows go who? No silly, cows go MOO!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Canoe. Canoe who? Canoe come out and play with me?
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Lettuce. Lettuce who? Lettuce in, it’s cold out here!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Mikey. Mikey who? Mikey doesn’t fit in the key hole!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Stopwatch. Stopwatch who? Stopwatch you’re doing and let me in!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? I am. I am who? You don’t know who you are?
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Ice cream. Ice cream who? Ice cream if you don’t let me in!
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Yah. Yah who? No, I prefer google.
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Nana. Nana who? Nana your business!
RIDDLES for Kids :))
1. What begins with T, ends with T, and has T in it?
A teapot.
2. What gets cracked before you use it?
An egg.
3. What begins with an “E” but only has one letter?
An envelope.
4. What does a cloud wear under his raincoat?
Thunderwear.
5. What has words but never speaks?
A book!
6. Why do ducks have tail feathers?
To cover their buttquacks.
7. What’s full of holes but still holds water?
A sponge.
8. Where do cows go for entertainment?
The moo-vies.
9. What goes up but never comes back down?
Your age!
10. Why are ghosts such bad liars?
You can see right though them.
11. What tire doesn’t move when the car turns right?
The spare tire.
12. What do you call a sad strawberry?
A blueberry.
13. Where do you find keys that won’t work in a lock?
On a piano.
14. Why couldn’t the moon finish his meal?
He was full!
15. What can travel around the world without leaving its corner?
A stamp.
16. What room doesn’t have any windows?
A mushroom.
17. What do you call a grandfather clock?
An old timer.
18. Which letter of the alphabet has the most water?
The C.
19. What word is spelled wrong in every dictionary?
Wrong.
20. What has a thumb and four fingers but is not a hand?
A glove.
21. How can you make the number seven even?
Remove the letter “S”.
22. What has a thousand needles but doesn’t sew?
A porcupine.
23. What goes up and down the stairs without moving?
A carpet.
24. What is so delicate that saying its name breaks it?
Silence.
25. What has legs but can’t walk?
A table.
26. Where did one wall meet the other wall?
On the corner.
27. What has teeth but can’t bite?
A comb.
28. Where do fish keep their money?
In the riverbank.
29. What gets bigger when more is taken away?
A hole.
30. Why can’t you give Elsa a balloon?
She will Let It Go.
31. I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold me for five minutes. What am I?
Breath.
32. Where do monkeys get their exercise?
The jungle gym.
33. What kind of room has no doors or windows?
A mushroom.
34. If the red house is on the right and the blue house is on the left, where is the white house?
Washington D.C.
...and more riddles!
https://ceretrain.com/Riddles/Easy
Take a walk on the wild side...Meet Louis, the Gorilla!!
Online Madlibs for Kids!
https://www.glowwordbooks.com/kids/madlibs/
POKEDEX
https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokedex/
"Would You Rather...?" Questions for Kids
https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/would-you-rather-questions-for-kids/
The Old Farmer's Almanac for Kids:
https://www.almanac.com/kids/at-home
*FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO PERUSE -
STAY AT HOME Guide: 100's of Activities and Resources for families on pause!
https://mommypoppins.com/family/coronavirus-pandemic-update-indoor-activities-resources-kids
*Wonderful Resources for Family Engagement from the Library of Congress! Check out the Activity Kits that require just a few simple items of things that you can find easily around the house and items from the Library's website!
"Transition to Middle School" packet:
https://media.centervention.com/pdf/Middle-School-Transition.pdf
HOLIDAY Games
https://gotkidsgames.com/GotKidsGames%20Holiday%20Games%20By%20Date.html
Learn the meanings behind our HOLIDAYS!
https://www.pitara.com/non-fiction-for-kids/festivals-for-kids/
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday but is celebrated every year on June 14th in parades and festivals to honor the American Flag. President Woodrow Wilson set June 14th as Flag Day in 1916, but it was never passed as a holiday by Congress.
There is no greater symbol of American pride than its iconic red, white and blue flag. Since our country was founded in 1776, the U.S. flag has undergone 27 changes: some of its alterations have been subtle and others were more dramatic. But no matter which flag has been flown, each one has represented the concept of freedom, justice, and prosperity for all. The Stars and Stripes have been flown during our country’s most memorable events, including battles, inaugurations, parades, state funerals and national holidays, just to name a few!
https://nationalflagfoundation.org/where-to-see-famous-american-flags/
https://nationalflagfoundation.org/stories/
https://nationalflagfoundation.org/the-meaning-behind-the-13-folds-of-the-united-states-flag/
The Gettysburg Address
Each time the text stops it will be up to you to pick the next word of this famous American speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. You win if you make it all the way to the end...
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the...
https://ipadthinker.com/cloze/nextWord.html
D-DAY
When? D-Day was on June 6, 1944. Allied forces comprising American, British, Canadian, and French troops invaded the German-controlled coast of Normandy, France. D-Day was considered the largest naval, air, and land operation in history. The Allied troops utilized battleships, naval vessels, destroyers, minesweepers, escorts, assault craft, and battle tanks. It was known as one of the deadliest European battles of WWII.
D-Day will be observed on Monday, June 6, 2022. People will remember the brave men and women who fought in the well-planned battle. The battle would ultimately lead to the end of World War II.
Fun Fact: Operation Overlord was the US military code for D-Day.
THE WALL by Eve Bunting
Why do we celebrate Veterans Day? What is a veteran? “The Wall” by Eve Bunting is a story about a little boy whose grandfather was killed in the Vietnam War. The young boy and his father visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
https://www.myarkansaspbs.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/134530/The_Wall.pdf
Vietnam Veterans' Memorial
https://www.history.com/news/the-21-year-old-college-student-who-designed-the-vietnam-memorial
https://worldstrides.com/blog/2014/12/vietnam-veterans-memorial/
Vietnam Facts and History
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/vietnam
https://www.ducksters.com/history/cold_war/vietnam_war.php
JUNETEENTH
This federal holiday celebrates the freedom of enslaved people at the end of the Civil War.
“Juneteenth” commemorates the day — June 19th, 1865 — that 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, and informed the remaining 250,000 enslaved Americans that the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln granted them freedom. (The news took a full two and a half extra years to get to Texas after the executive order was signed in 1863!) Even then, the formerly enslaved would have to wait for the news from their former enslavers and were often forced to transition into sharecropping to make a living.
Here’s how it got its start:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/celebrating-juneteenth
What Is Juneteenth? Watch this cartoon with fun facts about Juneteenth from FresBerg Cartoon.
Juneteenth: PBS Kids offers this video all about the holiday.
What Is Juneteenth and Why Do We Celebrate? Check out this informative video from BrainPOP.
Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/African-American-history-at-a-glance/623342
Black History Scrambled Quotes
https://ipadthinker.com/scrambles/blackHistorySentScramblesGame.html
Black History Facts Everyone Should Know
1. There's a reason why Black History Month is February.
Black History Month isn't celebrated in February due to pure coincidence. It was decided upon to coincide with President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass's birthdays. Both have long been aligned and celebrated in the Black communities for their efforts as abolitionists. What started as one week known as "Negro History Week" parallel to their birthdays was expanded into a month-long celebration formally declared Black History Month by President Gerald Ford in 1976.
2. Slavery is far from the only thing that has made life difficult for Black Americans.
Slavery may have ended in 1865, but many systemic issues continue to make surviving and thriving as a Black American difficult. For example, redlining in the 1930s outlined color-coded maps to show risky investment areas which not-so-coincidentally aligned with predominantly Black neighborhoods. This continues to make home ownership and wealth-building through home ownership for Black people difficult today.
3. The Civil Rights Act made it illegal for Black people to be denied service based on race, color, and religion or face segregation.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Not only did it make segregation illegal, but it also prohibited the use of federal funds on discriminatory practices. The Civil Rights Act later inspired the Voting Act and Fair Housing Act of 1968.
4. Immigrants are part of Black history, too.
Black History Month may have originated in the United States, but it's important to remember that it's inclusive of other cultures as well. According to Pew Research, one in ten Black people in the United States are immigrants, and they contribute to the rich tapestry of American growth and history. For example, Kwame Ture was a prominent political activist and organizer in the civil rights movement who was born in Trinidad and raised in the United States. Meanwhile, Colin Powell was the son of Jamaican immigrants.
Why Black History Month Is an Opportunity To Celebrate Black Immigrants Too
5. Every Black History Month has a theme.
Each year an American president endorses a specific theme for Black History Month. In 2023, the theme is Black Resistance, which recognizes "historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings," according to The Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Previous Black History Month themes include Black Health and Wellness, African Americans and the Vote, The Crisis in Black Education, and The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity.
6. A wealthy Black neighborhood known as Seneca Village existed where Central Park is in New York City today.
A predominantly Black neighborhood of around 200 residents existed in the Upper West Side from 82nd Street to 89th Street. The village was the largest community of Black homeowners pre-Civil War. Black Americans were able to live there and experience voting rights as property owners. They enjoyed their schools, churches, and gardens until they were forced out of the area for the building of Central Park.
The Best Black History Activities for Little Kids, Tweens, and Teens
7. Disabled Black Americans are part of Black history, too.
Though Black History Month has been celebrated for many years, the contributions of those Black people with disabilities are rarely recognized or celebrated. Yet, 5.6 million Black Americans live with a disability. Meanwhile, it's not widely known or mentioned that Harriet Tubman experienced epilepsy or that Muhammad Ali had dyslexia. Failure to mention or recognize the disabilities of Black achievers contributes to erasure and works against inclusivity.
8. Rosa Parks wasn't the first Black person to refuse to give up a seat on the bus.
Rosa Parks was famously credited for sparking the civil rights movement and Montgomery bus boycott when she refused to give up a seat to a white man in Alabama in 1955. However, it was Claudette Colvin who was arrested for failure to give up a seat on the bus several months prior to Rosa Parks.
9. Black people and people of color are not interchangeable terms.
There's a reason why the month is called Black History Month and not People of Color Month. While all Black people are people of color, all people of color are not Black. The term "people of color" encompasses anyone who doesn't identify as white or of European descent. When speaking specifically to Black issues or triumphs, it's important to use the word Black. Referring to people of color when you really mean Black people may only contribute to the erasure of complexities experienced by Black people.
Anti-Racist Curriculum: How to Talk to Your Kids About Black History
10. Black History Month is celebrated outside of the United States.
The month-long celebration may have started in the United States, but it's recognized in Canada as well. Additionally, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands celebrate it in October.
MAY is...
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN National Heritage Month
https://asianpacificheritage.gov/for-teachers/
Since 1990, the U.S. government has designated the month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States. The month of May was chosen to mark the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to the United States on May 7, 1843, as well as the anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869.
18 Student Activities for AAPI Heritage Month
https://www.weareteachers.com/aapi-heritage-month-activities/
Angel Island Immigration Station, sometimes known as "Ellis Island of the West," began construction in 1905 and opened January 21, 1910. The main difference between Ellis Island and Angel Island was that the majority of the immigrants that traveled through Angel Island were from Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and India.
Angel Island Immigration Station was located in San Francisco Bay, on Angel Island, which operated from January 21, 1910 to November 5, 1940, where immigrants entering the United States were detained and interrogated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM200MtJAIQ
(Anti-Asian sentiment was on the rise since the start of the California Gold rush . To curb the influx of Chinese immigrants, President Chester Arthur signed into laws the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which suspended Chinese immigration.
“The Angel Island Immigration Station was not a welcoming place," Lee said. "There is no statue of liberty to welcome immigrants. This was a place to exclude. Here, the idea was to figure out a way to detain people and send them back.”)
Angel Island Immigration Museum for Kids (interactive)
https://www.aiisf.org/aiimkids
The Chinese, Japanese, and Filipinos were the first Asians to arrive in the United States in large numbers. The Korean and Vietnam Wars, the 1965 Immigration Act, and the desire for more highly skilled workers all prompted more immigration from other Asian countries.
Today, Chinese are the largest Asian group, followed by Filipinos, Japanese, Indians, Koreans, and Vietnamese.
According to the 2000 census, there are 10 million Americans of Asian ancestry, just under 4% of the population. California has the largest Asian population, nearly 4 million people or 11%, with an additional 114,000, .3% Hawaiian or Pacific Island heritage.
Hawaii is the only state where Asians (500,000, 41%) and Pacific Islanders (114,000, 9%) equal 50% of the population.
New York State is second, with 1 million Asians representing 5.5% of the total population. Other states with large Asian populations are Texas, 562,000; 2.7%; New Jersey, 480,000, 5.7%; Illinois, 424,000, 3.4%; Washington State, 322,000, 5.5%.
https://www.teachervision.com/community-ways-life/chinatowns-and-other-asian-american-enclaves
Explore fiction and nonfiction books that celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander experiences, people, authors, traditions, and culture:
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/05/30/childrens-biographies-noteworthy-asian-pacific-americans
Interviews with award-winning Asian Pacific American authors and illustrators:
Erin Entrada Kelly (Hello, Universe)
Minh Lê (Drawn Together)
Grace Lin (Where the Mountain Meets the Moon)
Linda Sue Park (Bee-Bim Bop!)
Allen Say (Grandfather's Journey)
Wendy Wan-Long Shang (The Great Wall of Lucy Wu)
Greg Tang (Grapes of Math)
Janet Wong (Apple Pie 4th of July)
Gene Yang (American Born Chinese)
Laurence Yep (Dragonwings)
Paula Yoo (Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story)
Interviews with award-winning Asian Pacific American authors from Colorín Colorado:
Cynthia Kadohata (Kira, Kira)
Hena Khan (Under My Hijab)
Uma Krishaswami (Monsoon)
Ellen Oh (Finding Junie Kim
Check out the history of chopsticks and tea!
https://www.teachervision.com/asian-hi
https://www.teachervision.com/asian-history/history-of-tea
Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story
Click on the pdf link below to read
Passage to Freedom. It tells the amazing story of Chiune Sugihara, who single-handedly saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis.
https://www.ushmm.org/collections/bibliography/chiune-sugihara
https://kids.kiddle.co/Chiune_Sugihara
Chiune Sugihara (杉原 千畝, Sugihara Chiune, 1 January 1900 – 31 July 1986) was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kaunas, Lithuania. During the Second World War, Sugihara helped thousands of Jews flee Europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through Japanese territory, risking his job and the lives of his family. The fleeing Jews were refugees from German-occupied Western Poland and Soviet-occupied Eastern Poland, as well as residents of Lithuania. In 1985, the State of Israel honored Sugihara as one of the Righteous Among the Nations for his actions. He is the only Japanese national to have been so honored. The year 2020 was "The Year Chiune Sugihara" in Lithuania. It has been estimated as many as 100,000 people alive today are the descendants of the recipients of Sugihara visas.
******************************************
CONSTITUTION DAY
Constitution Day celebrates the day that the United States Constitution was adopted by the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It can be considered the birthday of the United States government. The day also celebrates US citizenship and is often called Citizenship Day. It is celebrated on September 17th, the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. If this day falls on the weekend, many schools will pick the closest Friday or Monday to celebrate the day.
Schools and libraries observe this day by having special educational programs and activities which help students learn about the Constitution. They study subjects like the history of the Constitution, the many important amendments, and the Bill of Rights.
Many school systems set aside the entire week as Constitution Week.
https://www.ducksters.com/holidays/constitution_day.php
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Americans who have ancestry in countries that speak Spanish. That includes Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. It was started in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson as a way to celebrate the contributions of Americans who had come to the United States from Spanish-speaking countries. Back then, it was a weeklong celebration. It was expanded to a month in 1988 by President Reagan.
When is Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month starts September 15 (Independence Day in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) and continues until October 15. The month also includes Mexico’s Independence Day (September 16) and Chile’s Independence Day (September 18).
What does Hispanic mean?
Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish or have ancestry from a Spanish-speaking country. Latino, on the other hand, refers to people who are from Latin American countries. There are 20 Hispanic countries, plus Puerto Rico, so 21 countries total.
Why do we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the 62.1 million Hispanic Americans (18.7% of the U.S. population). It’s a time to learn about important Hispanic figures, learn something new about Hispanic culture, and join in on celebrations across the country.
https://www.weareteachers.com/hispanic-heritage-month-activities/
https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson023.shtml
In 1946, Mexican Americans in Orange County, California won a class action lawsuit to dismantle the segregated school system that existed there. In this video segment, Sylvia Mendez recalls the conditions that triggered the lawsuit and her parents' involvement in the case:
"Meet the Author" Interviews
Take a look at the interviews with the following authors, poets, and illustrators in our Meet the Authors section!
Many of their books are available in Spanish or in bilingual formats.
Read online comprehension passages about Spanish national heritage and take the quizzes:
https://worksheetsplus.com/Reading/HispanicMonthReadingWorksheet.html
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage and learn about Flamenco!
In this Grade 3-5 lesson, students will explore the holiday traditions, music, and art of Halloween and Día de los Muertos.
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/YgUxqGyEvbyCLA
https://spanishmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Slide14-scaled.jpg
Remembering 9/11/2001
On September 11, 2001, people in New York City woke up to a beautiful late summer day. It was a Tuesday, and people were preparing for another day at work and school.
Thousands of people headed for the World Trade Center, a complex of seven buildings that included a pair of skyscrapers known as the twin towers. Each tower had 110 stories and stood about 1,360 feet high. The tallest buildings in New York City at the time, the twin towers rose above the city’s downtown skyline. Nobody there knew that in just a few hours, both buildings would fall...
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/remembering-september-11
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
https://www.defense.gov/Multimedia/Experience/Pentagon-Memorial/
9/11 Fact Sheet for Kids
9/11 Attack Timeline
https://timeline.911memorial.org/#Timeline/2
The ¨9/11 Fire Boat¨ that could...
https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=129435&page=1
https://kids.kiddle.co/John_J._Harvey
Inspiration:
Weeks after 9/11, a single Callery pear tree, which became known as the Survivor Tree, was discovered buried in rubble at Ground Zero. It was burned and badly damaged, but it still showed signs of life. Workers rescued the tree and it was transported to a park where it was tended to and cared for. Over the years, it grew from eight to 30 feet tall, sprouting new branches and flowering in spring. It was returned to the 9/11 Memorial plaza in 2010. It is a living symbol of hope and resilience, which is the ability to recover and bounce back after facing change or difficulties.
Draw the outline of a leaf onto a sheet of paper. Need Inspiration? Look at the picture of the Survivor Tree, download the Survivor Tree leaf template, or trace your hand with your fingers closed.
Cut out your leaf with scissors.
Write or draw a message of hope on your leaf. Think about the story of the Survivor Tree—what symbols or words come to mind when you think of what it stands for?
Get creative! Use crayons, colored pencils, marker, or other materials you have at home to make it colorful.
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance.
The 9/11 Primer is divided into six thematic modules, each with a range of educational resources that help learners understand the events of 9/11, the antecedents of the attacks, and the ongoing repercussions of that day
https://www.911memorial.org/learn/resources/911-primer
By providing a host of educational resources—including activities for kids at home and the Anniversary in the Schools webinar—and a variety of free public programs, the Museum strives to foster a deeper understanding of the continuing impact of 9/11 and terrorism on America and the world at large.
PEARL HARBOR
At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time on December 7, 1941, a Japanese dive bomber bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on its wings appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The surprise attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United States irrevocably into
World War II...
In his speech to Congress following the attack, President Franklin Roosevelt depicted December 7, 1941, as “a date which will live in infamy.”
Because the naval facilities at Pearl Harbor were relatively undefended, the Japanese saw Pearl Harbor as an easy target.
Almost 360 Japanese planes attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, and before the day was over, more than 2,403 Americans died. The battleships Arizona and Oklahoma were destroyed, and numerous other vessels were damaged.
President Roosevelt asked Congress for a declaration of war against Japan a day after the attack. The attack on Pearl Harbor officially launched the U.S. into World War II. Three days after the United States declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S.
The United States Congress designated December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day on August 23, 1994. Every year on this day, events are held at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii. People from all over the world honor the military personnel and civilians who lost their lives.
https://www.pbs.org/video/war-pearl-harbor-attack/
Five facts about Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona
Video: FDR's Pearl Harbor Address
Learn More From a Sailor's Perspective
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday that recognizes the Indigenous peoples of the United States: American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. The day is also called Native American Day or Native Americans’ Day. It celebrates the culture and history of Indigenous peoples. It also recognizes their right to self-government and commits to honoring the treaties the U.S. government signed with Indigenous nations.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October—the same day as Columbus Day.
August 9th is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Created by the United Nations in 1994, the holiday honors Indigenous people and cultures around the world. While there is no single definition for indigenous, Indigenous people maintain close ties to their ancestral land and traditions. In the United States, some Americans celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of or along with Columbus Day on the second Monday in October.
https://www.weareteachers.com/indigenous-peoples-day/
During the month of December, we celebrate Christmas, Las Posadas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa!
https://www.ducksters.com/holidays/christmas.php
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Las-Posadas/625672
https://pjlibrary.org/beyond-books/pjblog/october-2021/hanukkah-2021-with-kids
https://kidskonnect.com/articles/kwanzaa-for-kids/
Learn how to draw Christmas things!
https://www.artforkidshub.com/holiday-art-projects/christmas/
Winter Solstice for Kids
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/winter-solstice
https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/light-amidst-darkness-celebrating-winter-solstice/
CHRISTMAS traditions around the world!
https://www.momondo.com/discover/christmas-traditions-around-the-world
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/christmas-around-the-world.html
Chinese New Year
In 2023, the first day of the Chinese New Year will be on Sunday, January 22nd!
The Chinese Calendar has an animal zodiac. 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit!
https://www.dogonews.com/2023/1/7/lunar-new-year-2023-leap-into-the-year-of-the-rabbit
To outsiders, the Rabbits' kindness may make them seem soft and weak. In truth, the Rabbits' quiet personality hides their confidence and strength. They are steadily moving towards their goal, no matter what negativity others give them.
With their good reasoning skills and attention to detail, they make great scholars. They are socializers with an attractive aura. However, they find it hard to open up to others and often turn to escapism.
A plain and routine life is not their style. Though conservative and careful in their actions, they need surprises every so often to spice things up.
https://china.mrdonn.org/zodiac.html
https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/chinese-new-year.html
D.E.A.R. Day, a national celebration of reading designed to remind readers of all ages to make reading a priority in their lives! Keep the celebration going all month long 🎊 !
Drop
Everything
and
READ!
(This day was actually introduced by Beverly Cleary in her book Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and commemorates Beverly's birthday!)
April 12, 2023
https://www.beverlycleary.com/fun-games
https://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/dear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcT5hsD2PbY
JUNE is Junie B. Jones Month!
http://juniebjones.com/characters#
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids//junieb/author/author.html
http://juniebjones.com/media/printables/activities/JBJ_BirthdayGoodies_WrdScramble_WEB_3.pdf
https://www.perma-bound.com/static/activity/junie-b-jones.pdf
FLAG DAY
Flag Day gets celebrated every 14th of June, marking the anniversary of the adaptation of the American flag back in 1777.. but it is not an official federal holiday. Even though it is not a federal holiday, many cities and towns hold festivals and parades to honor the American Flag.
FATHER'S DAY
While May was reserved for Mother's Day, June belongs to fathers! Acknowledging fathers' fundamental role in children's upbringing is important for the family and society!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoRelw-G7Uw
https://www.pbs.org/parents/fathers-day
Father's Day is an international celebration honoring the fathers in our society.
FUN FACTS: The United States’ first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington.
Dad Joke for You: Why don't eggs tell jokes? Because they might crack up
MORE FATHER FACTS:
In Thailand, the king’s birthday also serves as National Father’s Day. The celebration includes fireworks, speeches, and acts of charity and honor.
Charlemagne, the 8th-century king of the Franks, united much of Western Europe and has been called the “King and Father of Europe”.
A.A. Milne created Winnie the Pooh for his son, Christopher Robin.
DID YOU KNOW? George Washington, the celebrated father of the United States, had no children of his own.
Mothers' Day for Kids
Mother’s Day is a holiday celebrated in many countries throughout the world to honor mothers. Although festivals honoring mother goddesses date to ancient times, in its modern form Mother’s Day originated in the United States, where it is observed on the second Sunday in May. Many other countries also celebrate the holiday on this date, while some mark the observance at other times of the year. On this day, children typically honor their mothers with cards, gifts, and flowers.
https://kidskonnect.com/holidays-seasons/mothers-day/
https://www.pbs.org/parents/mothers-day