Posts by techsupport
Budgeting Activity
In these troubled economic times, a good social studies activity is to have your students develop plans for how they can help their families cut expenses. Have them consider costs such as transportation, food, clothing, entertainment, and other areas of expense. Students will learn about budgeting (tie in to math) and responsibility. Have the students…
Read MoreGaining Students’ Respect
A key to success in the classroom is to gain and hold your students’ respect. Here are some ways you can do this. Know your subject matter. If you don’t, your students will rightfully question if they can learn anything from you. A thorough knowledge and command of your subject matter will instill a sense…
Read MoreUsing Demonstrations
Demonstrations are an effective way to teach skills. Here are some guidelines to follow when making a demonstration. Make sure you all have all necessary equipment and materials available. Explain the purpose of the demonstration. Be certain that all students have a clear view of the demonstration. Focus students’ attention on each step of the…
Read MoreUsing Numbers
Familiarize your students with the many ways we use numbers. Quantity: There are usually 8 slices in a pizza. Distance: Yesterday our boy scout troop hiked 15 miles. Height: The ceiling in my living room is 9 feet high. Weight: I am now able to lift 120 pounds. Cost: I had to pay $1.50 for…
Read MoreMaking History Interesting
It is surprising how many students find history boring. Here are some suggestions for increasing your students’ interest in this important subject. Supplement textbooks with books that provide personal accounts of historical events. Focus on important individuals in history. Biographies and autobiographies can help your students understand that is is people who make history. Have…
Read MorePurposes of Homework
As one teacher put it, “Homework is as American as apple pie.” We all had homework as students. We all give homework as teachers. Whenever you give your students homework assignments, be sure that the assignment is consistent with one or more of the following purposes of homework: Homework reinforces ideas, concepts and knowledge that…
Read MoreConfusing Headlines
The new term “crash blossom” refers to a newspaper headline that can be read in two ways. It derives from the following headline about a air crash in Japan: “Violinist Linked to JAL Crash Blossoms.” The article was about a violinist whose successful career took off shortly after his father had died in a JAL…
Read MoreUsing Debates
A debate is a competition in which two opposing teams make speeches to support their arguments and disagree with those of the other team. A proposition is stated, with one team agreeing with the proposition and the other team disagreeing. Debates are an effective way to help your students develop critical thinking skills and oral…
Read MoreStudent Participation
Student participation brings a lively dimension to any class. Unfortunately, many students are reluctant to participate. Here are some ways to encourage student participation. Make your goals for the class session clear. Ask questions that require more than a simple “yes” or “no” response. Emphasize to students that any question they ask is a good…
Read MorePredicting the Weather
Over the years, people have tried to predict the weather based on natural occurring phenomena. Your students will find many of the following ways of predicting the weather to be interesting. If there is dew on the grass at sunrise, it probably won’t rain that day. (This doesn’t work if it rained during the night.)…
Read MoreState Flags
Flags are one of the oldest forms of communication and have become universal symbols. Every color and emblem on a flag has meaning, and reveals the history and culture of the people represented by it. Your students can learn interesting information about states by studying their flags. Here are some examples. Arizona. Red and yellow…
Read MorePersonal Narrative
Writing a personal narrative allows students to share their lives with others as well as help them to improve their writing skills. When having your students write personal narratives, encourage them to: Think about what they want to tell their readers. Write from their own point of view, using words such as “I” and “my.”…
Read MoreSequencing
Reinforce the concept of sequencing by having your students apply the concept to a subject area. Here is an example for science. Put the following in the proper order as food moves through the digestive system. Stomach (3) Esophagus (2) Mouth (1) Large intestine (5) Small intestinve (4) You can use this idea in any…
Read MoreNobel Peace Prize
With President Barack Obama having won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, your students may be interested in some facts about the prize. Here are some facts you can convey about this prize. The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in 1901. The prize was shared by Henry Dunant, founder of the International Red Cross, and…
Read MoreAssessing ESL Students
Here are some criteria you can use to informally assess the progress of English mastery of students for whom English is a second language. Conversational skill Knowledge and use of vocabulary Grammar and sentence structure Reading Spelling Knowledge of culture Accent
Read MorePoetry in the Classroom
Poetry is underappreciated by most students. Yet, poetry is a wonderful tool for fostering imagination and creativity. Here are some ideas for bringing poetry into your classroom. Read poems aloud to your students. Introduce different poetic forms thoughout the year. Hold an original poetry contest. Have students recite poems from memory. Post illustrated poems and…
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