Curriculum Connections
December 2016
Muskingum Valley ESC
Email: cathy.morgan@mvesc.org
Website: mvesc.org
Location: 205 North 7th Street, Zanesville, OH, United States
Phone: 740-452-4518
Enjoy the December 2016 Educator Resources from the Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Department!
See below how you can get your name in for this month's special drawing for educator books and tools from our library.
Project Happiness
“Although happiness is a timeless and universal human quest, only in recent years has research turned its focus on how happiness can be sustained and increased. Science has now confirmed that with certain practices we can change the neural pathways of our brain. Happiness is a set of skills we can learn through practice.”
Check out the 7 Happiness Habits backed by Science from the Project Happiness Handbook by Co- Author Randy Taran.
Strategies for Music Education
The Polar Express (grades KDG-2nd)
Don’t miss this “jolly” time on the mythical “Polar Express”! This is a fun, informative, and very interactive math and language activity tailor-made for the holidays. The Polar Express focuses on the details of the timeless Chris Van Allsburg story “The Polar Express”. Presenters will use the story details to teach various math and language concepts. This lesson is intended for grades K-3. The activities will be modified for the grade level attending the conference.
REGISTERCobwebs for Christmas
Are you ready to add some "bling" to your Christmas? This fun and interactive lesson will explore the tradition of adding tinsel to Christmas trees. The charming folktale Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo is set in Germany and focuses on some curious spiders paying a visit to Tante's tree. Incorporating Science, Language Arts, and Technology standards, students will discuss characteristics of arachnids using observation, compare and contrast different arachnids, and identify key elements of our story.
REGISTERLet's Address The Polar Express
Let's Address The Polar Express focuses on the key ideas and details of this timeless holiday classic written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. Instructors will use the story to teach a variety of Common Core ELA standards including determining theme, summarization of text, and using figurative language such as metaphors and similes. This lesson is intended for grades four and five.
REGISTERSpotlight on Technology Integration
Five-Minute Film Festival: Developing Global Citizens
“In our increasingly connected and interdependent world, it’s critically important that young people have opportunities to engage with diverse cultural perspectives, build geographic knowledge, grow global competency, and develop the skills and knowledge necessary to consider and address our shared global challenges.” Ashley Cronin, Digital Resource Curator, Edutopia
Review the video playlist suggested by Ashley Cronin to bring global experiences to the classroom.
From the National Geographic Society
Here’s a spectacular site from National Geographic Society http://nationalgeographic.org/education. It offers resources for social studies and science educators: lessons, activities, games, multimedia, mapmaker kit and more.
Spending Time with Mrs. Claus
Virtually connect your class to Mrs. Claus!
Intended for KDG-2nd Grade Classrooms
Do you need a holiday-themed lesson to address the Common Core Standards in Mathematics? The interactive video conference…Spending Time with Mrs Claus will address those needs and keep your students talking for days to come. This is one of our most popular December lessons! Register online to reserve your spot. Spaces are limited and are scheduled first come first serve!
New! ReadWorks Digital
New in 2016 is ReadWorks Digital! Find and assign award-winning articles, create classes for assignments and formative assessments, have students read online and support progress by analyzing formative assessment data.
Erich’s Puzzle Palace
The Erich Puzzle site offers math and logic puzzles offered at three levels of difficultly. Here’s one piece of interest: November’s Problem of the Month: What is the largest area that can be filled in a regular hexagon by m regular hexagons of one size and n regular hexagons of another size if none of the hexagons overlap? The wide array of puzzles is worth a moment to investigate.
Share Your Ideas for a Chance to Win!
Share your thoughts! What resources were of value to you in this Curriculum Connections' issue? Help us to identify specific topics to your needs for future issues.
For only 2-3 minutes of your time and feedback, your name will be put into a monthly drawing with other respondents. MVESC will send an educational resource such as books, standards tools, or other educational materials to a winner from each issue of Curriculum Connections.
Click on survey to give us your thoughts.
MVESC December Professional Opportunities
2016-2017 MVESC C. I. A. Department