As a mother of 4 boys and a middle school teacher, I would like to
recommend that parents consider offering their sons non-fiction books. Non-fiction has always trumped fiction books in
our home.
Visits to the library or bookstore always resulted in armloads of books from several areas of interest.
Also, here are 2 sites that could offer some additional assistance to parents of sons who are reluctant readers:
By the way, our youngest son will graduate from college this weekend---another tribute to books of ALL kinds. However, I must say that non-fiction books were particularly attractive to this soon-to-be college grad!
I enjoy blogging about resources for special needs and also about what
is taking place in my classroom. In fact, I just wrote an article for
http://www.stonesouphomeschool.com/index.html about special needs resources.
As
for my classroom, the students actually "vote" for the units of study
they wish to learn about each semester. Last spring, my gifted/talented
middle schoolers voted to learn about "Games for Brains" and "So You
Want to Be an Inventor!" for this fall semester. We always add an
algebra unit at the beginning of each year right before the achievement
tests are scheduled. This they do not mind. In fact, most of them love
to do more math of any kind.
Over the summer, I planned the
units they voted for, and prepared lesson plans and activities for
them. We are now in the midst of the invention unit, and I thought it
might be a good idea to share some helpful resources with those of you
out there who might be considering the same kind of study unit.
Below
here is a list of websites that will provide you and your students with
much information about the invention process, patent applications,
intellectual property law, related activities, and much more. I hope
they help you as you develop your own units on inventing and inventors.
Happy inventing, everyone!
Resources for Inventors and Inventions
(October 2010)
http://uspto.gov The official website for the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office
http://www.copyright.gov/ U. S. Copyright Office (Library of Congress)
http://www.google.com/ptshp?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wt&q= Google Patent Search tool
http://inventors.about.com/od/inventing101patents/a/patent_searchin.htm How to do a patent search for new
inventors and students
http://ilinventor.tripod.com/ Inventor
group headquartered in Edwardsville, IL. Meetings are held monthly (2nd Wed. of the month)
with networking opportunities for inventors.
http://ilinventor.tripod.com/reference.html Resources for inventors from i3
http://www.inventorsdigest.com/ Website related to the magazine for “idea
people”
http://uiausa.org Great website for inventors just getting
started “on the road to inventing”- Website of the non-profit organization with
many links and resources for inventors
http://www.inventorsconnection.org/Topics/42646.html
St. Louis inventor group; meets monthly at
the St. Louis County's Library Headquarters (at 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd.)
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/tvsearch.php?keywords=Inventors&sitesearch=1&in=tv_all&go.x=13&go.y=10
Lessons plans and “elementary” information on inventing
http://www.creativitypool.com/ A database full of creative and original
ideas
http://www.inventnow.org Web site where children
can engage in games and activities. They can use their creativity as well as
learn about the process of protecting their intellectual property.
http://copyrightconfusion.wikispaces.com/Teaching
Teach/learn about copyright and applying fair use.
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/index.html USPTO Kids’ Pages
http://specials.about.com/service/newsletters/inventors/1286467200.htm
Some of About.com’s
information on inventing and inventors.
Read about the beginnings of Facebook and its new movie.
Provided by:
Brennan Innovators, LLC
Tools for ADD/ADHD and Dyslexia
Websites: www.ReadingFocusCard.com
www.BrennanInnovators.com
NOTE: All links below can be accessed by placing your cursor directly on the link itself, pressing the “Ctrl” key, and then “Click”.
http://www.senteacher.org/Print/ Many FREE resources for teachers can be found here. There are numerous downloads and printables for immediate classroom use!
http://www.autismbuddy.com/ Aims to provide a FREE user-friendly website that provides high quality pintables and resources for teachers and parents for use with children with special educational needs
http://www.watchknow.org/ Free educational videos categorized by age of viewer and content area
http://www.additudemag.com/RCLP/sub/7059.html Safe Driving for ADD/ADHD Teen Drivers
http://www.additudemag.com/adhdblogs/4/7181.html Comic Books ADHD Children Will Love to Read (and Learn from, Too)
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6608.html ADHD Adults Raising ADHD Children: Parenting Strategies
http://www.addresources.org/adhd_friends.php A wonderful and extensive list of ADD/ADHD resources!
http://www.addresources.org/adhd_reading.php ADHD reading materials
http://www.foniks.org/ Learn to read, write, spell & speak English with phonics & Instant Sound. The layout is in a step-by-step format, complete with hearing the sounds (turn your sound “on”!) and printables.
http://www.smarttutor.com/home/reading_menu.asp Free reading lessons and educational activities for K-5
http://www.softschools.com/language_arts/phonics/ Learn to Read: Free Phonics games, worksheets and flashcards
http://www.ldresources.com/ A collection of resources on various aspects of learning disabilities with comments from community members.
http://www.ldonline.org/ One of the world’s leading websites for learning disabilities and ADHD
http://www.ldonline.org/parents “Parent page” of above website
http://www.virtualnerd.com Assistance with math and science content and challenges
http://www.ReadingFocusCard.com For focusing tools that help children and adults with reading challenges
http://www.BrennanInnovators.com For info and support about reading challenges, ADHD, dyslexia and other issue
Courtesy of: Brennan Innovators, LLC
314-892-3897
Email: info@brennaninnovators.com
www.ReadingFocusCard.com and
www.BrennanInnovators.com
It's that time of year again when you need great resources and you have a low or no budget---at least for this year!
If you are a teacher of physics, engineering sciences, robotics, or technology, you might want to visit these FREE resource links before the school year begins. It could save you so much time once the school year is well underway.
I have used these resources in my classroom of gifted students with great results. As a parochial school teacher, our funds are limited or sometimes non-existent, so these links can make such a difference in the quality of my lessons.
Check them out and see if you agree!
1. www.robotiksistem.net/index_en.html Different robot projects and information about history and applications of robotics, mobile robots and sensors
2. www.arrickrobotics.com/robots.html All about robotics---Robot Information Central
3. www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/coaster/ Design your own roller coasters online!
4. themeparks.lovetoknow.com/Build_Your_Own_Roller_Coaster Another roller coaster site
5. www.ehow.com/how_5053125_build-robots-beginners.html How to Build Robots for Beginners
6. robotics.megagiant.com/ The Robotics Lab is a great place for kids to learn about robotics.
7. tryengineering.com For physics, robotics and other project ideas, some with inexpensive materials
Have a great school year, fellow teachers!
Joan
Do your students need Spanish enrichment activities for those times when their work is completed but others in the class need more time and assistance? Here are some links that can provide some enrichment solutions for them---and you!
Headphones may be needed for some links to keep the peace in the classroom!
www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/spanish_alphabet Online audio Spanish alphabet---helps students learn the correct pronunciation of Spanish letters and words from the very beginning (Please use with headphones in the classroom.) Also, there is access here to an online English/Spanish and Spanish/English dictionary.
www.onlinefreespanish.com/aplica/lessons/alphabet.htm Online audio and pictorial Spanish alphabet (Please use with headphones in the classroom.) This is another great beginner’s link for learning correct Spanish pronunciation.
www.behindthename.com/nmc/spa.php List of boys’ and girls’ Spanish names and their English translations
www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/mypages/vocabulary/vocabularylistes.html Site for basic Spanish vocabulary, phrases, and some sentences
quizlet.com/subject/spanish/ A great resource for creating Spanish flashcards!
www.quia.com/servlets/quia.activities.common.ActivityPlayerAP_rand=1954273284&AP_activityType=12&AP_urlId=2599&AP_continuePlay=true&id=2599 Practice the Spanish numbers from 10-100 (by 10s)---If correct, you will uncover a secret puzzle!
atschool.eduweb.co.uk/rgshiwyc/school/curric/Spanish/Numeros/2.htm Practice the Spanish numbers from 11-20 with a “click and drag” activity. Just click on “Verifica” to check your answers.
www.myhq.com/public/v/a/vanderwerken/#101556030769311766 Study your Spanish numbers and other Spanish vocabulary from many different categories. A very comprehensive website for learning Spanish words and phrases!
www.hello-world.com/Spanish/learn/Numbers.php Online audio practice with Spanish numbers---Great preparation for our Spanish Bingo sessions!
www.hello-world.com/Spanish/EN_Spanish.php Games, puzzles, songs, and other activities make learning Spanish at home fun!
Teachers and parents need good resources at their fingertips in order to best address the needs of the children in their lives challenged with ADHD. Here is a set of links to resources that will enable you to get the assistance needed to manage this issue:
For Children and Adults with ADD/ADHD:
Many times, it just takes the right resources, strategies, and tools to address the struggles of ADHD! You can do it, you can do it if you put your mind to it!
Joan
www.ReadingFocusCard.com an effective reading tool for ADHD
It has been determined that there are approximately 3.5 million school-aged children in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder-Hyperactive or Non-hyperactive type). At the same time, it has been estimated that as many as 1.5 to 2 million more children may have the disorder but are as yet undiagnosed. Those who are affected by this condition have difficulty focusing on tasks, reading, and thinking. Although the treatment for the disorder often involves medication, at least in part, there are other options that can prove to be of benefit, especially if a non-invasive approach is preferred.
There is the increasing opinion that many children who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, may actually be facing a totally different challenge that does not require medication at all. In those cases, very often something called vision therapy can prove to be "just what the doctor ordered" and without any invasive side effects. This can also be true for another condition called dyslexia, a variable often familial learning disability involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing. Vision therapy involves visiting a specialist such as a behavioral optometrist (or developmental optometrist) for related testing and evaluation. If the child is considered a good candidate after this evaluation, vision therapy sessions are begun, which usually include various approaches to reading. One of these approaches may involve reading through colored but transparent overlays or filters. Each individual may experience a different result with each individual colored filter used. Sometimes, discovering just the right color of filter can mean all the difference in the world for an individual reader. It has been helpful to many children and adults.
You have a strong interest and dedication to excellent education through differentiated instruction. You know that ALL students CAN succeed---even those greatly challenged with learning disabilities and differences!
Because of this, you will want to know that a new reading and learning tool called the Reading Focus Card recently became available. This non-invasive tool can assist students of all ages challenged with focusing/reading issues such as those often associated with ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, and/or other learning disabilities/differences. In addition, it is an excellent tool for young, new readers in the primary grades because it promotes left-to-right eye movement. As a veteran educator of more than 15 years here in St. Louis and the inventor of this tool, I can attest that this Reading Focus Card can make a difference for many students struggling with these issues. In addtion, this reading and learning tool supports differentiated instruction.
To access information about the 2007 focus study of the Reading Focus Card, please visit http://www.brennaninnovators.com/study.html. To learn even more about this helpful reading tool, please visit www.readingfocuscard.com. Also, please feel free to call 314-892-3897 for more information about this inexpensive, yet effective, reading and learning tool called the Reading Focus Card.
With ADHD, Soothe the Five Senses
It can be more than challenging to overcome the symptoms of ADHD, especially when trying to complete a project or assignment at school or in the workplace. There are some techniques that can bring immediate results. Discovering what works, however, may take a bit of trial and error on your part.
Sometimes, it takes some "soothing" techniques to tame the ADHD "monster" inside an individual. Some of these techniques may involve connections with some of the five senses. Try these approaches the next time you are trying to meet a work deadline:
1. Knead or squeeze a stress ball or Nerf ball. Also try reading in a rocking chair or glider to improve comprehension/ retention (soothing to the sense of touch).
2. Softly play wordless music (such as classical instrumental) at a low but audible volume (soothing to the sense of hearing).
3. Try reading, writing, or printing your work on pastel-colored paper. For many ADHDers, working with or on white paper is "offensive" to the senses. (soothing to the sense of sight).
4. Have available a cool, iced glass of water (in summer) or a hot cup of decaf tea (in winter) as you focus on your work. Also, try chewing some sugar-free gum in your favorite flavor. Refresh as needed throughout your work session (satisfying/ soothing to the sense of taste).
5. Try aromatics such as various potpourri scents in the room were the work will be done (satisfying/ soothing to the sense of smell).
You may even consider several combinations of the above at the same time before you come upon the right "formula" that works for you. Everyone is different. Experiment with different types of instrumental music, scents, teas, etc.
Hope you find these techniques of some benefit:
Joan
www.readingfocuscard.com For ADHD tools that can make a difference
Many high school teachers know of the Botball organization that makes the study of robotics possible for their students. However, did you know that in recent years, middle school students have also been invited to participate in the renown program? Yes, exposing students in this age group to the study of robotics is possible through this great organization.
Last year and for the first time in the history of not only our school but of our entire parochial system, our school was able to form a Botball Team that fully participated in the 2008 Greater St. Louis Regional Botball Tournament (April 2008). Our school helped to sponsor this voluntary team of 15 students. With a generous scholarship award from Botball (varies from year to year depending on available funding) and supplemental funding from our own school through local merchant shopping credits, it was possible for our students to learn more than even their teacher could ever have expected.
Not only did these young students learn about the science of robotics, but also about information and concepts from many other content areas. Numerous concepts in engineering, physics, algebra, and geometry were involved. At the same time, students improved their writing and technological skills through detailed journaling and data collection with the online submission of that information. The team also learned all about team work and communication between individuals and the small groups within the whole team. Organizational skills were very important since three deadlines for the submission of data were required as part of the Botball process. A wonderful lesson about respect for others and their ideas also became part of the learning process on this project.
The students built an autonomous robot---that is, no remote control devices, etc. to determine the mechanical operations. This autonomous robot, which the team named "Earl", was programmed with a code uploaded to the robot by means of a computer. The students on the team learned an Interactive C program provided online through the Botball organization's website (see below for link). The code developed with this program became the sequence of "moves" made by "Earl" in the practice sessions and in the competition. The students were the programmers---not the teacher. All materials were provided through the registration and participation fees (scholarship covered a good deal of this cost).
The Botball process began with registration in the fall of 2007. A two-day workshop at SIU-E was conducted in late January 2008 (for 3 team members and their team leader, the teacher). Continuous work was done by the student team from early February 2008 right up until competition day in late April 2008. The students were outstanding in their ability to stay focused and maintain an extraordinary positive attitude even when "things went awry". Needless to say, this teacher was extremely proud of her students.
To learn more about this outstanding opportunity for middle school students that allows for regional competition across the USA and beyond, please visit botball.org . You will be glad you did. We certainly are!
Joan
www.readingfocuscard.com
www.brennaninnovators.com
It's about time that teachers receive at least as much recognition as do TV celebrities! It is the teachers of America who work diligently each day in their respective classrooms "wearing many more hats" than any other actor ever wears in a single Emmy season.
Today's American teachers are asked to be and actually take on the part of a parent when a child needs consoling. They act as nurses when one of their students falls on the playground resulting in a scraped knee. They are artists when their classrooms are decorated in all colors of the rainbow---for every single season, holiday, or celebration all year long. They take on the work of writers when asked to help work on the school newspaper or yearbook, and even help write an IEP---usually, at no additional financial compensation. They often feel that they must almost become attorneys when needing to defend their own classroom discipline methods to parents and supervisors. With NCLB, teachers are directors and cheerleaders who are asked to teach and encourage students so they will pass the tests. Yes, these American teachers even become actors in their own classrooms when they don the costume of a Tom Sawyer or Anne Frank to make a literature unit "come alive" for their students.
Each year, more responsibilities are taken on by American educators who teach an entire day and then go home to plan for the other lessons to come, often after picking up their own children from school, preparing dinner, and caring for their own families. It is time to televise the Emmys for our teachers in this country. They deserve the real trophies and adulation. What a virtual reality show that would be! Dr. Bill Cosby would be a great host!