Bringing the Gettysburg Address to Life With Video

November 19 marks the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address given by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. This extraordinary speech is taught in classrooms around the country as an example of a powerful speech that shares the principles of democracy and freedom during a difficult time in American history.   Although relatively short (about 2 ½ minutes), this … read more »

3 Must-Have Resources for National Family Literacy Day

“No skill is more crucial to the future of a child than literacy.” Los Angeles Times November 1st kicks off Family Literacy Month with National Family Literacy Day. These events highlight the importance of family literacy programs. Typical activities include inviting family members to the school to read to students, book drives, celebrity readers, and … read more »

Tech Tool of the Month: Story Maker

Story Maker is a simple digital storytelling tool for elementary students to write a story. Students can practice their writing skills, add color, add additional pages, and then save (or print) when finished. Story Maker is part of the ABCya site, offering countless free web games, interactives, and learning experiences.   Grade level Story Maker … read more »

3 Unique Resources for Spanish Language Learners

¡Hola! September 15 through October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. It is during this time we recognize the many contributions and history of the American Latino community. This month-long period also celebrates the independence days of several Central American countries.  A search on TeachersFirst reveals well over 100 resources tagged for Spanish content. Also, our … read more »

Engaging Students with Scavenger Hunts

You might not know that August 19 is Geocaching Day. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt where players use GPS devices to find hidden containers located around the world. Hidden locations vary from easy to find areas to those that are more isolated and involve planning and preparation to access the site. Items found in … read more »