Internal committees, early beta users, and our first pilot group of users all asked for the same thing, “Can we customize the template for the lesson plan?” So we put our technical staff to work and they delivered. In essence, Planbook Plus provides a great framework for planning, by day, by week, or by unit. But the details of the lesson plan are all left up to you. [...]
We made it! Safe to say, most of us reached the end of the school year and are diving into summer. For me, that means coffee on the porch with a good book in my hand. Family vacations are coming, the beach is calling your name and everyone seeks a well-deserved respite from the stresses of the school year. Of course, there are the typical ‘beach getaway’ fictional books we all love. But summer is also a great time to rejuvenate and be reminded of the meaningfulness of our career. We’re not talking heavy non-fiction books, but books that have purpose and heart. This summer, take a chance on some of our recommended summer reading! [...]
Do you hear that? The low, yet distracting hissing noise. The infamous fidget spinner has taken the education world by storm. Students claim that these spinners help with ADHD. However, NPR reports that these fidget toys serve the use of entertainment (or distraction) more than they help with focus. [...]
We like buzzwords in education. Even in one year, various buzzwords pass through with the authors hoping for it to catch on along the way for a nice book deal. [...]
The weather is beautiful, students broke out the shorts and everyone is counting down to the end of the year. How do we keep our students interested? Teachers are not only tasked with prepping for the state test, but also for end-of-year testing. The pressure is on, but where is the time? For a quick way to change things up in your classroom, check out these websites! Let us know what works best for you! [...]
March is one of the longest months of the school year. The month brings about unpredictable weather, daylight savings time, and hopefully, the end of “cabin fever.” How do we keep our students engaged? There are various ideas for crunch time, but one of our favorites is Escape the Room. All the rage in towns across the US, escape the room challenges students to solve problems, collaborate in a team setting and also apply learned concepts. So how do teachers take the fun team building activity and bring it into the classroom?
Incorporating escape the room into your classroom can be as quick and easy as you want it to be. Create scenarios, challenges and puzzles to create a highly engaging environment! For those more competitive classrooms, offer a reward to those teams that escaped in time. Check out our demonstration lesson and let us know what you did! [...]
While scrolling through social media, I noticed a shared link from a colleague: Powerpoint Makes Professors Boring and Students Stupid. While the wording is quite provocative, the general premise has merit. Whether primary, secondary, or post-secondary, students are not learning from Powerpoint. Additionally, Powerpoint slides do not engage students. Powerpoint is engrained in education (even if in the form of SMART notes or Prometheus slides) similar to chalk and erasers – this is just how we do things. But how do we change this constant? [...]
Can you believe it? Depending on your geography, we are halfway through the third quarter or finishing up the third quarter. It is crunch time! Talk of the state exam is well underway, students are on the brink of not passing for the year or even worse – on the brink of not graduating. Some [...]
With English, social studies, science and even math – writing is a foundational skill for every student. Of course, writing is also a frustration for many students. As teachers, we are challenged with teaching to the state standards, engaging students, preparing students for life in a global society and also embedding skills such as reading [...]
Whether students have the day off or not, we can all engage our students in valuable lessons related to Presidents’ Day. Especially during the current political climate, it is important to not only teach our students about our history, but also about how to appropriately engage in discourse. Check out our suggestions to observe Presidents’ Day. How are you planning on impacting your students? [...]
