FREE Election 2012 Resources from iCivics - Repost

As the election grows closer I wanted to repost this information in case anyone missed it the first time through -

Election 2012! | iCivics:


Teachers, register for a free account and choose from a variety of specially-designed materials including games, lesson plans, and more to bring this year's election into your classroom!

The primaries, the conventions, the campaign trail... November 6th, 2012 is growing ever closer so iCivics has put together special election-focused curriculum packages to bring the presidential election into your classroom. Choose from a three or five day approach, or even run your own mock election using iCivics' proven lesson plans and games. We've also put together a selection of one-day activities and additional resources for you and your students.

Three Day Election Curriculum
Day One: The Electoral Process
Take a peek into the electoral process- from party primaries to the general election. Students will learn the distinctions between the popular vote and the Electoral College, and exercise their critical reasoning skills to analyze the differences between the presidential and congressional elections. Students will also contrast the various nomination processes and learn about the role of party conventions in American politics.

Day Two: Candidate Evaluation
Students evaluate hypothetical candidates by establishing and applying their own criteria for selecting public officials. Through a variety of activities, students assess candidates based on their qualifications, experience, campaign speeches and campaign materials. Students track campaign promises, explore voting records and evaluate the legitimacy of information resources. The role of the media, fundraising and opinion polls in the electoral process are also discussed.
Day Three: Win the White House (game)
In Win the White House, you get to manage your very own presidential campaign by strategically raising funds, polling voters, launching media campaigns, and making personal appearances. Keep a close eye on the map as you battle over electoral votes and popular support. 



Five Day Election Curriculum

Day One: The Electoral Process
Take a peek into the electoral process- from party primaries to the general election. Students will learn the distinctions between the popular vote and the Electoral College, and exercise their critical reasoning skills to analyze the differences between the presidential and congressional elections. Students will also contrast the various nomination processes and learn about the role of party conventions in American politics.
Day Two: Candidate Evaluation
Students evaluate hypothetical candidates by establishing and applying their own criteria for selecting public officials. Through a variety of activities, students assess candidates based on their qualifications, experience, campaign speeches and campaign materials. Students track campaign promises, explore voting records and evaluate the legitimacy of information resources. The role of the media, fundraising and opinion polls in the electoral process are also discussed.
Days Three and Four: One Big Party
After taking a broad picture look at the different hats parties wear, students take a quick look at the impact of political party systems. On day two, guide students through the impact of the two major political parties in the United States. From examining the political spectrum to analyzing their own stances on several current issues, students will walk away understanding the complexity of the two-party system. 
Day 5: Win the White House (game)
 In Win the White House, you get to manage your very own presidential campaign by strategically raising funds, polling voters, launching media campaigns, and making personal appearances. Keep a close eye on the map as you battle over electoral votes and popular support. 


Mock Election (Three Days)
Overview
Day 1: Party Formation and Nominations
Assign students to a party and hold a primary election.
Day 2: Campaigning
Students create campaign materials for their party and nominee.
Day 3: Rules, Election and Reflection
Students create election rules, review ballot options, vote, and reflect on the election process.



One Day Activities
Voting Rights 
Explore the evolution of voting rights in the Unites States through an interactive PowerPoint presentation highlighting landmark changes. Following the presentation and class discussion, students apply the new knowledge of voting legislation to individual scenarios through a class activity. 
Cast Your Vote (game)
What issues do you want to ask candidates about? In Cast Your Vote, choose the questions in a debate, rate responses, and vote for the candidate of your choice.

Additional Resources
Election Glossary
A glossary of election-related terms ranging from acceptance speech to voting age.
Election Resources
Resources including nonpartisan candidate evaluation and information, the presidential debate calendar, and a compendium of political advertisements from the 1950s onward.

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Complimentary Educational Resources from National Grid

I got this email today and decided to share it! We have used these materials in the past and they were really high quality! Enjoy!
The quality of the materials is amazing and my students are excited about them—they want to learn! I use the materials when teaching science since they address many important, related standards.
	Meet teaching objectives with Energy Education resources National Grid’s Energy Education Program is designed to help you meet your teaching objectives especially when it comes to energy science, safety, conservation, ethics, and environment-related topics too. Our complimentary student books, companion teacher’s guides, and online resources: • align with Academic Standards    for Massachusetts, New York,    and Rhode Island; • save you prep time;    • address various learning    styles; • conserve your budget—    there’s no cost. We offer five student books—each with an accompanying teacher’s guide that provides valuable background information, activities, discussion topics, and resources to build upon each book’s lessons—including: Aunt Sarah and the Amazing Power Grades K–2 This beautifully illustrated tale about three lovable kittens introduces the benefits of electricity and electric safety basics. Your Renewable Energy World Grades 3–7 Help kids become smart energy users. They’ll explore several renewable energy resources (solar, wind, hydro, ocean, biomass, geothermal), investigate the advantages and challenges of these renewable resources, and learn how to save energy at home. Energy Efficiency World Grades 4–8 This book utilizes kid-friendly examples to make it easy for students to learn about the sources, forms, and uses of energy. It teaches them to make energy-efficient choices. Electrical and Natural Gas Safety World Grades 4–6 This imaginative activity book helps teach mandated science concepts like circuits, conductors, and states of matter, while powerfully reinforcing safety. Energy and Your Environment Grades 7–9 This colorful, magazine-style book explains how we get our energy from the planet and how our energy use impacts the environment.
Order your complimentary classroom books and explore a world of academic standards-based resources at www.ngridenergyworld.com
If you can’t see this email click here. #9219 © 2012 Culver Media, LLC

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Election 2012! | iCivics - FREE Resources

Election 2012! | iCivics:


Teachers, register for a free account and choose from a variety of specially-designed materials including games, lesson plans, and more to bring this year's election into your classroom!

The primaries, the conventions, the campaign trail... November 6th, 2012 is growing ever closer so iCivics has put together special election-focused curriculum packages to bring the presidential election into your classroom. Choose from a three or five day approach, or even run your own mock election using iCivics' proven lesson plans and games. We've also put together a selection of one-day activities and additional resources for you and your students.

Three Day Election Curriculum
Day One: The Electoral Process
Take a peek into the electoral process- from party primaries to the general election. Students will learn the distinctions between the popular vote and the Electoral College, and exercise their critical reasoning skills to analyze the differences between the presidential and congressional elections. Students will also contrast the various nomination processes and learn about the role of party conventions in American politics.

Day Two: Candidate Evaluation
Students evaluate hypothetical candidates by establishing and applying their own criteria for selecting public officials. Through a variety of activities, students assess candidates based on their qualifications, experience, campaign speeches and campaign materials. Students track campaign promises, explore voting records and evaluate the legitimacy of information resources. The role of the media, fundraising and opinion polls in the electoral process are also discussed.
Day Three: Win the White House (game)
In Win the White House, you get to manage your very own presidential campaign by strategically raising funds, polling voters, launching media campaigns, and making personal appearances. Keep a close eye on the map as you battle over electoral votes and popular support. 



Five Day Election Curriculum

Day One: The Electoral Process
Take a peek into the electoral process- from party primaries to the general election. Students will learn the distinctions between the popular vote and the Electoral College, and exercise their critical reasoning skills to analyze the differences between the presidential and congressional elections. Students will also contrast the various nomination processes and learn about the role of party conventions in American politics.
Day Two: Candidate Evaluation
Students evaluate hypothetical candidates by establishing and applying their own criteria for selecting public officials. Through a variety of activities, students assess candidates based on their qualifications, experience, campaign speeches and campaign materials. Students track campaign promises, explore voting records and evaluate the legitimacy of information resources. The role of the media, fundraising and opinion polls in the electoral process are also discussed.
Days Three and Four: One Big Party
After taking a broad picture look at the different hats parties wear, students take a quick look at the impact of political party systems. On day two, guide students through the impact of the two major political parties in the United States. From examining the political spectrum to analyzing their own stances on several current issues, students will walk away understanding the complexity of the two-party system. 
Day 5: Win the White House (game)
 In Win the White House, you get to manage your very own presidential campaign by strategically raising funds, polling voters, launching media campaigns, and making personal appearances. Keep a close eye on the map as you battle over electoral votes and popular support. 


Mock Election (Three Days)
Overview
Day 1: Party Formation and Nominations
Assign students to a party and hold a primary election.
Day 2: Campaigning
Students create campaign materials for their party and nominee.
Day 3: Rules, Election and Reflection
Students create election rules, review ballot options, vote, and reflect on the election process.



One Day Activities
Voting Rights 
Explore the evolution of voting rights in the Unites States through an interactive PowerPoint presentation highlighting landmark changes. Following the presentation and class discussion, students apply the new knowledge of voting legislation to individual scenarios through a class activity. 
Cast Your Vote (game)
What issues do you want to ask candidates about? In Cast Your Vote, choose the questions in a debate, rate responses, and vote for the candidate of your choice.

Additional Resources
Election Glossary
A glossary of election-related terms ranging from acceptance speech to voting age.
Election Resources
Resources including nonpartisan candidate evaluation and information, the presidential debate calendar, and a compendium of political advertisements from the 1950s onward.

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Free Fun Fridays - Just a few left!

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Free Fun Fridays - Still Plenty of Opportunities!!!!

Free Fun Fridays | Highland Street Foundation:



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Free Resources in Your Mailbox from NRCS

This is just one of the many - 277 to be exact - resources that you can receive FREE in your mailbox from the National Resources Conservation Service! Pop on over to see what might inspire you and your children!

Introduction to Essentials of Cell Biology | Learn Science at Scitable

Stumbled across this great FREE Resource Introduction to Essentials of Cell Biology and just had to pass it on!

Synopsis ~ What do an amoeba and an elephant have in common? If liver cells have the same DNA as brain cells, why are they different? What goes wrong during cancer? The answers to these questions depend on the properties of cells, the fundamental units of life. Essentials of Cell Biology introduces readers to the core concepts of cell biology. This course can provide an introduction to cell biology for beginning students of all ages or be a springboard to more specialized topics for advanced students. The course begins with a discussion of the fundamental properties of cells: the origin of the cell, how cells are organized, how they reproduce, and how they use energy. Other units in the course expand these topics and provide insight into the processes that regulate cell function and generate the amazing variety of cell types seen in living organisms. Topics include the decoding process that produces distinct sets of proteins in different cell types, the cellular structures responsible for cell function, the signals that cells use to communicate with one another, and the intricate controls on cell division. At the end of each unit in this eBook there is the option to test your knowledge with twenty multiple-choice questions.


Scitables also has other FREE resources available and some very interesting Knowledge Projects ~ The Knowledge Project is an effort to work with the science academic community to build a reliable, openly accessible library of educational science content for college and high school students. Each article is written by experts in their field. The Knowledge Project is a living effort; articles will be updated over time in response to new developments in the field and specific suggestions by users.

Free Fun Fridays All Summer Long

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Acing Math - One Deck at a Time - FREE Ebook

Acing Math - One Deck at a Time is a collection of math games ranging from Kindergarten to the upper elementary grades, using only an ordinary deck of playing cards.  There are games covering addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percents, decimals, patterns, positive and negative integers, as well as many others. This is produced by the Positive Engagement Project and is only one of MANY free resources available on their site. 

Transitioning a Family from School to Home Education – Tips from the Rearview Mirror

Transitioning a Family from School to Home Education – Tips from the Rearview Mirror
I wrote this article last year, but as it is getting to the end of the "school year" I thought I would repost it for those families who are new to my blog and making this transition over the summer months.

Transitioning a Family from School to Home Education – Tips from the Rearview Mirror

When I made the decision to remove my daughter from public school, I delved into research mode. Learning all that I could about curricula, educational philosphies, "socialization", standard courses of studies, how to get into college without a diploma and anything else that came to mind.  While there are many articles out there that go over the “hows” of taking a child out of school and where to begin home educating, I had a very hard time finding any that went much beyond the standard “be sure to allow the child to deschool.” and many were written by people who have never actually gone through the process themselves.  I am not an expert, but hindsight is priceless.  It is my hope that you will find these inside tips helpful to you, as you begin your Home Ed journey.

Decompressing vs. Deschooling

While deschooling of the child is very important, deschooling the parents should really be the first step in the process.  When you are raised to believe that only accredited teachers can help someone learn, you have to build yourself up and realize that no one is more qualified than you are to teach your child.  Parent's need to break away from the thoughts of what “school” looks like and begin to realize that “education” and “schooling” are not one in the same and often, detrimental to the other.  Most sources will advise that one month of deschooling is needed for each year a child has been in a school system, however for the parents I would, at the very least, double that amount of time.

I like to think of this process more as a decompressing of the learner within – the learner that generally gets squashed away in order to conform and fit in within classroom settings.  Both the parent and child need to be allowed freedom to discover what being educated means to them.  What is truly important for your child to know? This is a question that only the parents and the child can answer.  Often the answer is very different from one family to another and even from one child to the next within the same family. Children who have been schooled need the chance to remember that learning is fun and begin to enjoy learning again. When you take away rote memorization drills and allow a child to explore what they find interesting, or what is needed to solve a real problem, they rediscover the curiosity and enthusiasm that is frequently surpressed by a system that needs everyone to remember the same information in order to pass the test.

A common misconception that the word deschooling brings to mind is that the child is allowed to just “do nothing” which can make a lot of parents uncomfortable.  It is better to think of this time as allowing the family to discover how they learn, what their interests are and what they want their lives to be like.   The child should be allowed freedom to discover what interests them and how they best absorb information. Parents can encourage this discovery by providing a multitude of resources, from traditional workbooks, to living books, to field trips, to television series, to co-op classes and anything else that might pique their interest in a subject.  Learning styles can vary greatly and often a child will enjoy math through hands on manipulation of blocks, but enjoy reading a great historical fiction series to learn about the revolutionary war. This time will allow you and your learner a chance to see what fits for them.

It should also be a time when the child's circadian rhythms are allowed to return to a natural state.  Often a child who is used to being told what to do with every second of their day, has no idea when they are hungry, thirsty, tired or even need to go to the bathroom. They have become trained to sleep when told, eat when told, and hold “IT” for extended amounts of time when necessary.  This causes circadian rhythms to become nearly dormant in a child's body.  When given the chance, these natural feelings will return and a child will have control of their bodies again, often leading to children who had discipline and attention issues to become far more content and attentive.  This is a factor that is very often overlooked by behaviorists within a school environment, but has been noted time and time again from parents who have removed their children from the system.

Swiss Cheese Knowledge Base

The most frequent question I see on home education forums from parents who are thinking of taking this step is some variation of “What curriculum should I use?” For the person asking this seems like such a simple question and they believe it should be fairly easy to get an answer to. Surely, my 4^th grader in Wyoming should be learning the exact same information as the 4^th grader in Dakota. This could not be further from the truth.  Not only do different states teach different things at different ages, different counties and even different schools within the same town teach things differently.  No matter what standard base is being used, not all 4^th graders in any system are going to learn the same information.  For most home educators this is even more of a widespread question because they tend to realize the individual needs of each child and therefore can't tell you what curriculum to use without having any idea what type of child would be using it.  When you take a child out of a system where they are being taught from one set of principles or standards, it is not possible to pick up a catalog and order the 4^th grade school in a box set because you have no idea if that system is going to be aligned with the previous one.

Another thing that is often not discussed in regards to where to begin is the concept of a “Swiss cheese knowledge base.” Children who have been in schools have often been taught a lot of information in a very disconnected manner because the focus of so many schools is to teach to the test – CAT, FCAT, MCAS, SAT, ACT or whatever acronym your state has chosen to best “measure” output. This causes many children to have blocks of information scattered with all kinds of holes where the information is missing or has not been connected to anything to make it permanent in the child's memory. In order to truly learn something it must be digested and connected with a real world application or situation. This is why so many children learn from movies, activities and games – they are using multiple senses and therefore can more easily retain the information. I highly recommend approaching each topic as though the child has never encountered it before. This allows you to set the pace at which you move through things, skimming through content that seems to be coming easily to the child, focusing on areas of great interest for as long as the child wants, or slowing down and going deeper on something that needs more time to be fully understood.

What about socialization?

Inevitably the “S” word is always brought up during a transition from a school system to home learning. For families who have been traditionally educated it is hard to fathom how their children could possibly make friends or learn to be productive citizens when they spend every day at home with only their family to interact with. It may be hard for many parents to believe, but although they may not be as “socialized” as their public school counterparts, home educated children are generally more social and outgoing.  "Socialization" is manufactured, living and learning is natural.

A very important thing to keep in mind is also this, kids feed off of the fears of their parents so it is important for the parents to assure their children that they are not the only ones on the planet that have made the choice to learn at home.  Join online communities and local support groups to connect with other home educators in your area. You may need to put yourselves out there, even if it is outside of your comfort zone.  By getting involved with a wide variety of classes, hangouts, park days, co-ops, field trips etc. you widen your chances of finding families with common interests and outlooks. It can be difficult at times for kids to feel connected so try to not feel discouraged if after your first attempt you don't meet anyone that your child hits it off with. If you just keep trying you are likely to build friendships that are based more on common interests, than on what class you randomly got placed into.  Many families find that their children develop bonds with people in the community – local shop keepers, librarians, museum workers – because the kids have a true and honest interest in obtaining knowledge from experienced adults, rather than textbooks.

Just Live!

Once a family has their feet under them in this new world, they tend to come to the realization that learning and life go hand in hand. You will begin to see that kids absorb information when it is presented in a format that resonates within them. I have heard story upon story of parents being astounded at the accuracy of knowledge that flows from their child's mouths, often on topics the parents themselves know nothing about.

When given a chance to follow their own interests, children learn more quickly and deeply than is comprehendable by traditionally schooled parents. The greatest gift given to anyone is life and the chance to just live it!

Plan ahead for - Free Fun Fridays - All summer long

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Mass Audubon - Free PDF activities to get outdoors!!!

Mass Audubon has some great fun and FREE printable activities available on their site to help you and your family get moving and learning outdoors. Though some are specific to their parks - like the discovery booklets - many - like the spring bingo - can be used anywhere! SO surf on over, print some out and GET OUTSIDE!!!

Computer Science Unplugged - FREE Resource

Computer Science... without a Computer!

Free activities for classroom or home

CS Unplugged is a collection of free learning activities that teach Computer Science through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons and lots of running around.

The activities introduce students to underlying concepts such as binary numbers,algorithms and data compression, separated from the distractions and technical details we usually see with computers.

CS Unplugged is suitable for people of all ages, from elementary school to seniors, and from many countries and backgrounds. Unplugged has been used around the world for over fifteen years, in classrooms, science centers, homes, and even for holiday events in a park!

Disneynature Chimpanzee - Coming to theaters this April!

We have truly enjoyed going to see the Disneynature movies each year and are excited for the next installment - chimpanzee

As always there is a free education guide available for download - HERE - which has more to offer this year as it is a whopping 135 pages and includes powerpoint presentation with audio and video clips! 

American Math Challenge - Day 2 - Morning Results

American Math Challenge - Update 8pm - 1st Day

I think unless she has a huge surge of energy after x-factor she is done for the day! Here are her results ---

She did a great job, given this is her first try!!! Congrats to all who made it through the first day and best of luck in the speed rounds tomorrow!!! 

American Math Challenge Update - 5p - 1st day

I have a feeling she will be doing a bit more, but as of right now here are her 1st day stats ----

Today's the DAY!!! American Math Challenge --- Tomorrow Too!!!

Great fun way to test those math minds!!! Have fun and let us know how your kids did!!!
These are the first American official lead up events for World Education Games 2012!!! For more information click the pic to sign up for the official newsletter!

It's NOT too late to register...

The sooner the better, so your kids can try out the warm ups, but you still have some time!!!

Dolphin Tale - Cheers, Tears, and MORE CHEERS for this incredible movie!!!

This was such an inspiring movie on so many levels. If you have not been to see it go tonight!!! I am telling you everyone can learn so much from this film!

The kids I brought were cheering when they saw this scene!!! 

Beyond the incredible plug for independent learning, homeschooling and educational intentions in general this movie had more twists and turns, tear jerking moments and laugh out loud scenes than any I have seen in quite some time!

Scholastic has a huge amount of resources, links and videos to expand this movie into a unit study - Meet Winter the Dolphin. Homeschool Movie Club also has a unit study guide - HERE.