Author Statement: by Laura Mayne ; Illustrations by Scot Ritchie
Audience: Trade
Specs: more than 100 color illustrations, list of projects by subject, bibliography, index
Pages: 160
Trim Size: 8 1/2" x 11" X 1/2"
Language code 1: eng
Publication Date: 20090730
Copyright Year: 2009
Great Teacher Projects: K-8
Projects to jump-start a class.
This book provides more than 75 tried-and-true, classroom-tested, teacher-approved projects designed for use in K-8 classes. The projects cover a broad range of subject areas, and they can be adapted to suit students of different abilities and learning styles, including children with special needs and those learning English as a second language.
Easy to set up and simple to complete, these inventive and inspiring projects are perfect for:
- Team-building exercises
- Helping to build knowledge and proficiencies based on students' current understanding
- Increasing cultural literacy and general knowledge
- Helping teachers fulfill curriculum requirements.
And they're also just plain fun!
Each project is warmly illustrated and features an at-a-glance overview of subject areas covered, time frames and required materials. A special Book Tie-Ins section helps teachers match reading materials to curriculum areas, and additional notes throughout the book provide information on everything from building a classroom library to understanding multiple intelligences.
Projects include:
- Butterfly Life Cycle
- Create a Country
- First Day Questionnaire
- Hear and Draw
- Leaf Pictures
- Play Money Spelling Bee
- Reading Awards
- Simulated Spacewalk
- Bottle Cap Tap Dancing
- Trivia Quiz.
Great Teacher Projects is a lifesaver for busy teachers with diverse classrooms and their various needs.
| Bio: | Laura Mayne, an elementary-school teacher for the past 27 years, has served as a classroom teacher, teacher-librarian, special education resource teacher and ESL teacher. Scot Ritchie is an awardwinning artist and has illustrated more than 30 books, including The Everything Kids' Connect the Dots and Puzzle Book and Let's Go! The Story of Getting from There to Here. |
| Preface: | Introduction FREE KNOWLEDGE This saying from some long-forgotten source has hung on the wall in my classroom for the past 27 years. It's an exciting concept, free knowledge. Our students get it from us and we get it from them. It's everywhere, especially in this technological age. It's addictive! On any curriculum document you'll see a lengthy list of specific expectations that teachers must provide when delivering programs: flexibility, challenge, integration, reflective practice, differentiated instruction, relevance, balance and more. What all teachers want and need are classroom projects that actually motivate students and make the light bulb above their heads click on while fulfilling these government, district and school requirements. The great projects in this book have been chosen from among the favorites of great teachers who submitted their tried-and-true, classroom-tested projects to share with their colleagues everywhere. Without breaking the budget or requiring complicated equipment and materials, each of these projects contributes in some way to a successful and enjoyable whole-year class experience. Some of these are great projects in the traditional sense: vavagaga (teacher lingo for "visually appealing and gorgeously aesthetic") has its place, for sure. On the other hand, some of the projects are "great" not by that measure, but by their value as group-building exercises. Some are simple and yet effective, some serve to scaffold knowledge, some create cultural literacy and general knowledge, and some are just plain fun. If there's one thing a teacher loves, it's an idea that really works in the classroom. These ideas fit the bill, hit the mark, and bring learning to life! |
| TOC: | Table of Contents Projects by Subject |
