Early Years Foundation Stage & Primary Resources from Yellow Door Zodiac Facts Yahoo! Kids Preschool Theme - Back to School The Kissing Hand To ease separation anxiety on the first day of school is the aim of this preschool activity by Martha R. Materials: The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, white construction paper, paint, and paint brushes. Description: I read the story The Kissing Hand using a raccoon stuffed animal.After discussing the story with the children, I put a heart sticker (which comes from previously placed heart stickers in the raccoon's pouch) on each child's hand. Back to School Book This early childhood idea by Jackie O. helps teach pre reading skills and helps preschool children learn the names of the other students in the class. Materials: Folder with clips inside, clear plastic insert sheets, camera and film, (Polaroid if possible). Description: Prior to the children arriving I type a page for each child. Comments: I like to read this book the first few weeks of school during circle. Materials: 1 ziploc type bag per child Gayle's Note: Two picture books that help with separation anxiety. 2.
100+ Google Tricks That Will Save You Time in School – Eternal Code [via onlinecolleges.net] With classes, homework, and projects–not to mention your social life–time is truly at a premium for you, so why not latch onto the wide world that Google has to offer? From super-effective search tricks to Google hacks specifically for education to tricks and tips for using Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Calendar, these tricks will surely save you some precious time. Search Tricks These search tricks can save you time when researching online for your next project or just to find out what time it is across the world, so start using these right away. Convert units. Google Specifically for Education From Google Scholar that returns only results from scholarly literature to learning more about computer science, these Google items will help you at school. Google Scholar. Google Docs Google Docs is a great replacement for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, so learn how to use this product even more efficiently. Use premade templates. Gmail Use the Tasks as a to-do list.
Strategies for effective group work in the Online Class This is the second post in a three part series on group work in online learning communities. Post one, featured why we need group work in online learning, and post three will be on how to evaluate group work in online assignments. Quick recap – why oh why do we need to create opportunities for collaboration and structured learning in an online class? Collaboration is the future—collaborative skills are essential skills for the 21st century.Working with others builds upon existing knowledge. Groups—my Dual Viewpoint I’ve experienced group work from the inside and out. Concurrently, I’ve worked with groups on the outside, working with professors extensively to create assignments and collaborative activities for students in several online classes at my work place. I’ve compiled a list of essential strategies for setting up groups for successful interaction and meaningful learning that the online instructor or instructional designer might find helpful. Like this: Like Loading...
50 Life Secrets and Tips Memorize something everyday.Not only will this leave your brain sharp and your memory functioning, you will also have a huge library of quotes to bust out at any moment. Poetry, sayings and philosophies are your best options.Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions.Those who are heavy-set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.Develop an endless curiosity about this world.Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Read “Zen and the Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss.This book will give you the knowledge and instruction to be happy at all times regardless of the circumstances.
Should You Change Answers on Multiple-Choice Tests, or "Stick With Your Gut?" | College Info Geek Should you change your answers on test questions? I’m going to spoil it right up front: In general, the answer is yes. Research has been conducted multiple times over the course of the last seventy years on this problem, and the results are clear. Most answer changes are from wrong to right, which means that most people who do choose to change answers will actually improve their test scores. This fact goes completely against what people think, though. “Don’t change your answer – you’re probably just worriedly second-guessing yourself.” Teachers, parents, – even SAT prep guides have given this advice out for years. And the most interesting – and, kinda sad – part is that, even though I just told you this – even though I can and will point you to the actual research backing it up – and even if you believe me, you’re not likely to change your behavior. In this video, I’ll explain why that is. If you’re unable to see the video above, you can view it on YouTube. Looking for More Study Tips?
Alternative Sleep Cycles: You Don’t Really Need 6-8 Hours! Most people only think that there is one way to sleep: Go to sleep at night for 6-8 hours, wake up in the morning, stay awake for 16-18 hours and then repeat. Actually, that is called a monophasic sleep cycle, which is only 1 of 5 major sleep cycles that have been used successfully throughout history. The other 4 are considered polyphasic sleep cycles due to the multiple number of naps they require each day. How is this possible? Well the most important of every sleep cycle is the Stage 4 REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which has been shown to provide the benefits of sleep to the brain above all other stages of sleep. This way, you still get the benefits of 8 hours of sleep without wasting all of the time it takes to get to REM cycles, resulting in a much more efficient sleep cycle. Uberman Cycle: 20 to 30 minute naps every 4 hours, resulting in 6 naps each day. Everyman Cycle: One longer “core” nap that is supplemented with several 20-30 minute naps. Dymaxion Cycle: Biphasic/Siesta Cycle:
Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) Print Version What Are CATs? Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) are generally simple, non-graded, anonymous, in-class activities designed to give you and your students useful feedback on the teaching-learning process as it is happening. Examples of CATs include the following. The Background Knowledge Probe is a short, simple questionnaire given to students at the start of a course, or before the introduction of a new unit, lesson or topic. Why Should I Use CATs? CATs can be used to improve the teaching and learning that occurs in a class. Provide just-in-time feedback about the teaching-learning processProvide information about student learning with less work than traditional assignments (tests, papers, etc.)Encourage the view that teaching is an ongoing process of inquiry, experimentation, and reflectionHelp students become better monitors of their own learningHelp students feel less anonymous, even in large coursesProvide concrete evidence that the instructor cares about learning