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Back to SchoolGood TeachingSocial-Emotional Learning

“This, Not That” Bellringers

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

BIG news! Edition 4 of my “This, Not That” bellringer puzzles is now released, just in time for back to school. One change for these bellringers is the format from Google’s Jamboard, which is ending soon, to Google Slides or Canva Presentations. I’ve changed all previous bellringer puzzles to those formats as ell.

How Does a “This, Not That” Puzzle Work? 

bellringers

Think of the “This, Not That” bellringers as a mind-challenge puzzle. Each puzzle gives you five statements, and the goal is to figure out a commonality from the five statements. The words after the “but not” part of the statements sometimes help with the solutions. But sometimes, they are just distractions to the thought process. My “This, Not That” puzzles usually follow two lines of solutions: shared features or attributes of the items in the statements or shared features or attributes of the words in the statements. 

Here is the thinking strategy of the shared features of the five items. Let’s look at the first example, Emily:

  1. She likes minutes, not hours. (What is the difference between these two units of time?)
  2. She likes the Seven Dwarves, but not Snow White. (What is a noticeable difference between Snow and a dwarf?)
  3. She likes poems, not novels (How are poems different from a novel?)
  4. She likes power naps, not dusk-to-dawn sleep. (How is a nap different than a night’s sleep?)
  5. She likes skirts, not jeans. (Picture a skirt and jeans in your mind.)

If your reasoning led you to believe she likes things that are short, you nailed this bellringer!

Here is a solution involving commonalities among the words themselves. For example, let’s take look at the second example, Miguel:

  1. He likes juggling at the circus, not the plate spinning.
  2. He likes eggplant, not zucchini.
  3. He doesn’t mind driving in foggy conditions, but not snowstorms.
  4. He likes Reggae music, not Country-Western.
  5. He likes blogging, not writing newsletters.

What do you notice about the words “juggling,” “eggplant,” “foggy,” “Reggae,” and “blogging?” When you are working with your students, remind them to write down the main words to see if any commonalities appear. And the answer is: If your analysis led you to conclude that Miguel likes words containing a double “g,” you hit the bullseye!

This, Not That Edition No. 1

This, Not That Edition No. 2

This, Not That Edition No. 3

This, Not That Edition No. 4

This, Not That Edition No. 1

This, Not That Edition No. 2

This, Not That Edition No. 3

This, Not That Edition No. 4


Sometimes these bellringer puzzles can be a little tricky. So if you do not have time to figure out the answers, email me at preimers@tcea.org, and I’ll send them to you. Please include your school information in the email signature.

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Back to SchoolDigital CitizenshipDigital LiteracyTechnology ApplicationsTEKS

Integrate the 2024 TA TEKS into Your Third Grade Classroom

by Macee Hall
written by Macee Hall

The Texas State Board of Education’s new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications for K-8 students has educators working to update their lesson plans to meet overarching educational goals. This change can feel overwhelming, but implementing the new 2024 TA-TEKS into your elementary coursework just takes some creativity and a little elbow grease! 

NOTE: For information on TA-TEKS for students in kindergarten, first, and second grade, check out our Technology Applications: TEKS for Grades K-2 online course. Keep an eye out for expanded grade level offerings in the near future. 

2024 TA TEKS Updates

The new TEKS list was formally adopted in 2022, but does not take effect until the 2024-2025 school year. With the former TEKS in place since the Fall 2012 semester, members of the board decided it would be more beneficial to set goals for each grade level, rather than banding several grades together as they had done in previous years. Third-grade TEKS, specifically, represent five core strands that include:

  1. Computational thinking
  2. Creativity and innovation
  3. Data literacy, management, and representation
  4. Digital citizenship
  5. Practical technology concepts

The new set of TA TEKS will place a heavy emphasis on problem solving. And, for educators, that emphasis is a great place to focus when creating lesson plans for the new year and beyond.

Three Ways to Use the New 2024 TA TEKS in Your Classroom

When crafting lessons that not only weave technology into core educational goals, but that also follow the required benchmarks set by the state, it’s important to emphasize critical thinking and digital literacy in an age-appropriate way. 

Keep in mind that, even though we’ve honed in on ideas for third graders in this specific article, these lessons can be tweaked and reshaped to fit any late-elementary grade levels. 

Encourage Creativity with Digital Storytelling

2024 TA TEKS strands involved:

  • Creativity and innovation
  • Practical technology concepts

To enable students to utilize technology in fun and creative ways, help them create and share multimedia stories. Start by introducing the concept of digital storytelling. At this point, students should be familiar with the general cadence and structure of their favorite books, so you may consider choosing an existing story to use as the basis for an example project where you share a tale they know and love in a new way. You may also want to provide a list of themes or prompts to help your students brainstorm or encourage them to think outside the box!

Have students utilize storytelling apps like Storybird or Book Creator to build their creations, complete with text, images, and even audio clips. Then have them share their finished projects with the class to encourage public speaking and presentation, skill building that they’ll need later on. 

Spark Interest with Digital Research Basics

2024 TA TEKS strands involved:

  • Computational thinking
  • Data literacy, management, and representation
  • Practical technology concepts

Help students develop priceless research skills by utilizing digital tools and resources to learn more about a fun topic of your (or their) choice. Start by teaching students how to gather accurate data from reliable sources. At a third-grade level, steer them towards education-focused sites like National Geographic Kids or Smithsonian Kids and help them learn to navigate using the search bar and menu. 

You may even want to take it a step further and teach them how to evaluate online sources for credibility and accuracy. Make it fun with some outlandish examples. There was a period in the late 2000s where a certain site listed George Washington as a ninja who had a black belt, so there’s bound to be a silly example to highlight your point somewhere on the web. If you can’t think of one, check the the “Save the Tree Octopus! Helping Students Develop Critical Thinking Skills” lesson plan. Don’t forget to finish the project by having students create a slide deck and present their findings for an added educational bonus.

Foster Critical Thinking with Digital Citizenship and Safety

2024 TA TEKS strands involved: 

  • Computational thinking
  • Digital citizenship

Build on the basic digital citizenship and online safety knowledge students already possess at a higher level each school year. In third grade, start with a discussion on what being a good digital citizen means. You may consider subjects like respecting others online and protecting personal information. Include positive and negative examples in your lesson, and invite your students to deduct whether the example is one of good digital citizenship or not. 

You can also role-play scenarios that highlight safe online behaviors when students encounter potentially unsafe situations online. Include tips on what to do if they encounter or experience cyberbullying, phishing, and more. There are several interactive websites that simulate real-world scenarios that your students can use for additional practice like the FBI’s Safe Online Surfing Internet Challenge. 

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Back to SchoolGood Teaching

Tips for Creating a Welcoming Classroom

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Entering a new classroom can be an overwhelming experience for many students. As a place for learning, classrooms should give off a feeling of warmth, safety, and acceptance. Luckily, teachers have the power to create such an environment. By taking simple steps, teachers can ensure that every student feels valued, understood, and respected. Let’s look at some tips for how to create a welcoming classroom.

Create a Safe Space

Ensure that the physical classroom is a safe, organized, and welcoming space. Celebrate and display student work. This will show that you appreciate their efforts. Assign students classroom jobs, like ‘technology helper’ or ‘door holder’. This will give students a sense of responsibility and belonging. Furthermore, create a small area in your classroom where students can relax when feeling overwhelmed, like a calming corner.

Build Positive Teacher-Student Relationships

Developing strong teacher-student relationships is essential for creating a welcoming classroom. Greet students at the door. A personal acknowledgment can set a positive tone for the day. Also, take the time to get to know your students on a personal level, showing genuine interest in their lives, thoughts, and feelings. Open lines of communication, listen actively, and provide constructive feedback. Furthermore, celebrate achievements and address challenges with empathy and understanding.

Establish Clear Expectations

Clearly communicate behavioral expectations, academic standards, and classroom rules from the beginning. Encourage student participation by involving them in the creation of these guidelines. This collaborative approach helps students feel a sense of ownership and responsibility, fostering a positive classroom culture. In addition, be a role model for the behavior you expect. Demonstrating patience and respect encourages students to do the same.

Foster Collaboration and Cooperation

Promote a collaborative learning environment by encouraging teamwork and group discussions. Create opportunities for students to work together. This will foster a supportive network where they can learn from and with each other. In addition, implement activities that celebrate shared accomplishments. This will create a sense of belonging.

Incorporate Student Voice and Choice

Provide students with opportunities to express their opinions, ideas, and preferences within the classroom. Encourage students to voice their concerns and share their feelings. In fact, this can be done through regular check-ins, suggestion boxes, or classroom meetings.

Allow them to have a say in their learning process by incorporating activities that allow for individualization and personalization. For example, utilize technology and activities, such as choice boards to enhance student engagement. Valuing student voice and choice cultivates a sense of empowerment and ownership over their learning.

Embrace Diversity and Inclusion

A truly welcoming classroom embraces diversity in all its forms. Encourage students to appreciate and respect one another’s differences. This will create an environment where everyone feels safe to express themselves. For example, integrate multicultural perspectives in lessons and provide resources that reflect diversity within the classroom and the community.

Creating a welcoming classroom environment requires intentionality, empathy, and dedication. When teachers prioritize a warm and inclusive atmosphere, students thrive academically and emotionally. With this in mind, embrace the power that a welcoming classroom can have.

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Colorful infographic listing the five strategies from the text with an image of a parent-teacher conference.
Back to SchoolClassroom ManagementCommunication

Strategies for Mastering Parent-Teacher Communication

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Communicating with parents can be a little like showing up to a dance and finding out that there are multiple variations of the Texas Two Step. And who doesn’t love a good Two Step every now and then! Identifying the dance your new partner knows helps you in leading the dance and making it enjoyable – or at least bearable. The same is true when it comes to communicating with a wide variety of parents; quickly identifying their preferred style of communication and tone can assist you in getting early buy-in to having them on your side and open to conversations and ideas throughout the year. Now is the time to start establishing good practices for parent-teacher communication, so that when and if difficult conversations need to happen, parents are more likely to see you as an ally instead of an enemy. Here are a few tips and strategies to consider as the new year starts.

Build a Relationship

Photo of a teacher showing a parent student work with a quote from the text.

Building relationships with students is very helpful in making them feel included and taking ownership of their learning in your class. In the same way, building relationships with parents helps establish that you are on their side when it comes to being committed to helping their child succeed. Knowing that there will be hard conversations that may need to happen in the year with a parent or two makes it even more important to start early in building the relationship.

Building a parent-teacher relationship doesn’t mean that the goal is to become BFFs, connect on social media, or get together outside of school. Building a relationship means establishing your presence in their life for the duration that you are their child’s teacher. And doing so in a way that helps them understand that you have their child’s back, even if it means having hard conversations. Don’t be pushy, but do be consistent in communicating.

Consider the Parents’ Schedules

Photo of a parent-teacher conference with a quote from the text

We’ve all had those years when parent-teacher communication could have easily become a full-time job in and of itself. It’s easy to expect all the parents to accommodate our schedules and our preferred methods of communication. But, what I’ve found to be true is that differentiation is good when working with parents just as it is with students. Knowing parents’ schedules and trying to accommodate them helps achieve the goal of positive parent-teacher communication. This may mean talking with a parent in the evening when they are available, even though it isn’t during your conference period time. Or it could be scheduling virtual parent-teacher conferences to make sure they can attend.

TIP + Tool: If doing virtual office hours or virtual parent conferences, I’d recommend using Whereby. You can sign up for free and have the benefits of video conferencing without the technical hassle. Parents only need the link to your Whereby room; they don’t need to have their own account. On the free version, you can have:

  • Up to 100 attendees per meeting
  • Unlimited meetings
  • Group meetings for up to 45 minutes
  • The ability to lock your room for privacy
  • A waiting room area for those waiting for their meeting 

Don’t Wait Until There Is a Problem

Photo of a man on his cell phone with a quote from the text

Touch base with parents on a regular basis to let them know how their child is doing. And offer up a few good points. If needed, create a Google form that allows you to tailor an email to their child. Ok, that may sound impersonal, but I would offer that it is efficient and meaningful because it lets you communicate with more parents while still sharing truthful, personal points about how their child is doing. And with AI on the scene, generating a list of positive things to say is something a third-grader can do.

Create a parent-teacher communication form that allows you to identify the child’s name from a drop-down (and class period if you are not self-contained), choose from a list of positive things to say, and choose from a list of “things to be aware of.” Once you submit the form, you have the content in a spreadsheet that you can easily copy/paste into an email. Then, you can quickly massage the message to cater it to a particular parent. Plus, if you are just a little nerdy, you can add a vlookup formula to pull the parent’s email into the form submission so that you don’t have to even go dig that up.

Freely Share Your Personal Phone Number

Photo of a person dialing a number on their cell phone with a quote from the text

Sharing your phone number can help when it comes to open parent-teacher communication and building positive methods of communication. If you have mixed feelings about sharing your personal phone number with parents, then consider getting a free Google Voice phone number to share. You can direct the Google Voice number to ring your cell number or landline. The person calling you will not know the number you have directed to; they will only know the Google Voice number you shared.

When someone calls your Google Voice number, it will ring on the phone(s) that you’ve designated and even assist in screening the call. If they leave a voicemail, it will send an email of the voicemail and transcript to your email address. You can access Google Voice from the web or app. OpenPhone gives you the details of Everything You Need to Know; even though they aren’t writing to educators, you will definitely be able to understand the benefits of having a Google Voice number. 

Document, Document, Document!

Photo of a teacher documenting at her desk with a quote from the text

Yes, just like location is key to real estate, documentation is key to establishing good records, which may come into play later in the year. If you are old school, then have a 3-ring binder with a page for each student which you can add to as needed. If you are digital, then start a Google Form or spreadsheet to collect and organize instances that need to be documented. Some teachers have a Google Form that students complete if they don’t turn in an assignment or if there is a behavioral problem. The form has the student identify what happened, what the rule was, how they plan to correct the instance or behavior, and why it is important to do the right thing.

Having students participate in documenting their infractions greatly reduces parents seeing you as the enemy. It puts the responsibility and accountability more on the students to own their behavior and actions. Hopefully, you won’t have to document much, but there are times when documentation shows a trend that is beneficial in helping students get additional services and support.  

Colorful infographic listing the five strategies from the text.

While parent-teacher communication may not be as fun as going to a dance, hopefully, these tips and strategies will help you step on fewer toes throughout this school year and allow you to focus on more of why you teach. Feel free to leave a comment on additional tips and strategies that you found helpful for good parent-teacher communication. We’d love to hear from you.

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Back to SchoolLeadership

Eight Back to School Icebreakers for Team Building and Bonding

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Are you ready to tackle the hot-button issue of icebreakers? The topic of icebreaker activities is as controversial as the creamy vs crunchy peanut butter and proper toilet tissue roll orientation debates. You either love icebreakers or you hate them. Personally, I love a good icebreaker. Now, don’t get me wrong. If I have to sing, dance, or get really personal, I am out. But a good “get-to-know-you activity” or a “warm-up game” is something I am totally on board with. A good icebreaker sets a positive and welcoming tone, promotes interaction and engagement, and helps participants feel more comfortable and connected. So it can contribute to the success of the social gathering or group activity!

Are people interested in icebreakers?

While perusing Twitter one day, I came across this post by The Madwoman in the Classroom. I loved her question:

“What are legitimate alternatives to icebreakers that get school staff involved and facilitate communication and camaraderie? If you say “none” or “let me work in my room,” I’m going to hide your answer. I don’t need snark this morning, I am looking for real answers.”

Yes, I then went through all 724 responses. And take note, this post was (at the time) liked by 930 people. Proof there is interest in icebreakers!

See the Tweet.

Three Criteria for Icebreakers

I have three criteria for designing and choosing icebreakers. Whenever I’m planning an icebreaker activity, it must meet these three requirements:

  1. Needs to have an element of fun
  2. Low-key and informal without causing embarrassment
  3. I, myself, would participate in this activity

I highlight eight icebreakers below that I discovered in comments on The Madwoman in the Classroom’s Tweet. They meet all three criteria and, in my humble opinion, would be great for back to school 2023!

1. School Encouragement Tour with Post-Its

For this icebreaker, the administration creates a schedule for different groups of staff to take a walk around the entire school (including classrooms, office, gym, library, cafeteria, buses, etc.). While you are on the tour, introduce yourself to new staff or give a back-to-school greeting to the people you meet. Take a minute to reconnect and take in their space. Use a Post-it note to write an encouraging statement. Leave it on their door as you go or drop it off in their school mailbox. This idea came from Heidi Graci, and she comments in the tweet, “I kept mine in my closet all year for encouragement during a stressful year.”

Materials needed: Post-it notes, pens/markers

2. Top-Tier Lesson Plan Ted Talk

Carve out some time during in-service for this idea-sharing icebreaker activity shared by Lorca Damon! You will need to tell your staff ahead of time so they have time to prepare. Divide your staff into grade levels (for elementary) or content areas (for secondary). Ask everyone to bring their top-tier lesson plan and give a one-minute Ted talk on why it was awesome/is your favorite. I personally think this is a great way to share good lesson plans and ideas.

Sample email you can send your teachers:

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As we prepare for our upcoming inservice days, I’d like to request that we allocate some time for a valuable activity: A Top Tier Lesson Plan Ted Talk. For this activity, you will be placed in groups by grade level (for elementary) or subject areas (for secondary). 

For this activity, I’d like each staff member to bring their top-tier lesson plan and present it in a one-minute TED talk-style presentation. Plan to explain why this lesson plan is awesome and why it holds a special place as your favorite. This will serve as a wonderful opportunity for us to share ideas and learn from each other, discovering valuable best practices and effective strategies we have within our team.

By sharing these good lesson plans, we can inspire and support one another in our mission to provide exceptional education. I believe this activity will foster collaboration, creativity, and professional growth among our faculty. Let’s make the most of this time together and strengthen our bond as a dedicated team.

Looking forward to the insightful and engaging presentations!

Sincerely,

[signature]

Materials: Lesson plan, technology (if needed), space for small breakout groups

3. Phone Photo Show and Tell

Take some time to have your staff pick their favorite picture on their phone. Allow for time to move around the room and share the photo with a few people. Usually, everyone loves to share about kids, pets, and travel. As Sarah Van Dermyden, the creator of this response, states: “It took the focus off of looking at each other and moved it to the phone for people who feel on the spot.” This is a good icebreaker for providing movement and casual conversation.

Materials: Phones and photos

4. Guess Who?

For this icebreaker activity shared by Mrs. Seibel, the principal hands out an index card to each staff and faculty member. Everyone fills it out with their name, where they were born, and an interesting fact or two about themselves. During in-service, the principal can read the cards out with staff guessing whose card it might be. If you have a large staff, I would probably spread this activity out throughout the year’s staff meetings. 

Materials: Index cards and pens/markers

5. Melody Mystery

@Twisted3100 shared this fun idea! Send out a request for each of your staff to submit a song, any song (through a Google Form, by email, or using index cards like the Guess Who activity). They need to give the song title, artist, and a sentence explaining why it is important to them (without giving away their identity). It could be tied to a special event, a song they always sing on a road trip, or a song that reminds them of their wild college days.

During in-service, play a clip of each song for the group to hear. Guessing ensues! Who submitted the song? Most songs can be played on Spotify or through the iTunes store. I like this activity because your choice of song is up to each individual and there are SO many songs to choose from. Just like the Guess Who activity, a few songs can be played at future staff meetings throughout the year. 

Materials: A method for collecting staff songs and information, a service through which to play songs, a device and speakers

6. Collective Resumes

@Teach_WA believes that collective resumes are a valuable icebreaker activity. Divide your staff into groups. You can use random groups or group people by grade level or subject. Display this graphic so each group can discuss, gather, and display their collective information on a poster. Host a gallery walk so the information can be shared with the whole group.

Each group should provide the following:

  • Years of experience
  • Taught in ___ schools
  • Grade levels taught
  • Degrees
  • Expertise
  • Strengths
  • Hobbies

Materials: directions, markers, and large Post-it pad paper (or butcher paper will work), Collective Resume Editable Graphic Template, Collective Resume Graphic for Display

7. Would You Rather?

Get the Would You Rather: Teacher Edition activity!

I like a game called Would You Rather, so I was happy to see Jennifer Greenland suggest it as an icebreaker in the comments. If you are not familiar, it’s a fun and engaging activity where participants are presented with a series of hypothetical choices. And they must choose between two options. The choices are often amusing, challenging, or thought-provoking, leading to interesting discussions and revealing insights into participants’ preferences and personalities. You can share out as a whole group or play in a small group setting. It’s low stress for the socially anxious among us. 

Materials: Would You Rather: Teacher Edition Slide Deck

8. The Solo Cup Stacking Challenge

Get the complete details for this activity!

@Mariea_amy suggested another one of my favorites! In this challenge, participants work in groups of four. They create a grappler tool using four pieces of string and a rubber band to move cups placed in three stacks into a six-cup pyramid shape. Be prepared for lots of great communication and collaboration, and laughs!

Materials: (per group) Six solo cups, four pieces of string, and a rubber band

BONUS Resource 

If you are an icebreaker aficionado, Tracie Kile suggests you check out the Facebook group called Team Building Activities for Educators. You will need to request membership, and once you’ve joined, you’ll find a wealth of ideas and resources to sift through and explore.

Remember, the power of a well-designed icebreaker can set a positive and welcoming tone, foster meaningful interactions, and create a sense of comfort and connection among your faculty and staff. So, cheers to the new school year! May it be celebrated with the smell of new crayons, welcome-back smiles and hugs, and– a good icebreaker!

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Back to School

ICYMI: Your 2023 Summer Blog Roundup

by Sara Qualls
written by Sara Qualls

Can you believe summer is almost over? Me either! While you were busy enjoying your well-deserved summer break, my teammates wrote some incredible summer blog posts that might have flown under your radar. So, sit down, dive in, and check out a few hidden TechNotes gems you may have missed. 

1. EduProtocols: Workflowing Amazing Lesson Design

ALDO becomes WALDO! Explore a lesson design outline with lots of resources for mixing and matching strategies, EduProtocols, and digital tools.

2. How to Create a Rubric with ChatGPT

How to Create a Rubric with ChatGPT

Get an editable prompt template and create a rubric with ChatGPT in less than one minute! Watch it work its magic in an example video.

3. ChatGPT Prompts for Busy Educators

Take a look at ChatGPT prompts for educators! Learn how to craft your best prompt to maximize your results and get what you’re looking for.

4. Six Simple SEL Strategies for a Joyful Classroom

Restore joy, reduce stress, and boost student engagement by using these six, simple SEL strategies in your classroom!

5. Five Ways to Make a Splash with Wakelet

Five Ways to Make a Splash with Wakelet

Are you using Wakelet yet? Discover five ways to leverage this digital curation tool with students, parents, and substitute teachers!

6. How Reliable Are AI Detectors?

Do AI detectors really work? You may be surprised. See how seven popular tools fared when put to the test with AI-generated text.

7. Going Beyond SAMR: Models for Technology Integration

Boost lesson design, student learning, and professional growth by combining the SAMR, TIM, and TPACK models for technology integration.

8. How to Easily Convert Quizzes Between Platforms

How to Easily Convert Quizzes Between Platforms

Need to get a set of quiz questions from one system (e.g. Quizlet, Kahoot!) into another? Find out how to convert quizzes easily!

9. Five Ways to Empower Educators through Instructional Coaching

Instructional coaches can be powerful partners in growth. Let’s explore growth coaching questions and ways coaches can support educators.

10. New Reading Tools to the Rescue from Google and Microsoft

Get the latest on Microsoft’s Reading Coach and Google’s new Reading Practice features for Google Play Books.

11. Quick and Easy Tools for Making Flashcards

Quick and Easy Tools for Making Flashcards

If you’re looking for tools to make online flashcards to help students recall important information and practice skills, here is a goldmine!

12. How an Engaged Leader Fosters Employee Development

Are you a leader who is wanting to learn how to better support staff development? Let’s explore the employee development cycle!

13. Prompts for Lesson Planning with ChatGPT

Get an editable ChatGPT prompt for lesson planning and see prompt examples for activities, ideas, and differentiation.

14. A Back to School Calendar Packed with Celebrations

A Back to School Calendar Packed with Celebrations

Snag a fully editable 2023-2024 back-to-school calendar loaded with celebrations. Adapt it however you’d like or leave it as is!

Well, I hope you feel like you are all caught up! Moreso, I hope you are excited and inspired by new ideas and tools to try. May your year be filled with enthusiasm and a passion for learning. Here’s to an incredible 2023-24 school year!

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Back to SchoolPlanning and Preparation

A Back to School Calendar Packed with Celebrations

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

If you’ve ever checked out National Today (or worked in a school), then you know there is more than one reason to celebrate each and every day. As I was thinking about the start of the year, I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be great to have a calendar for 2023-2024 with all the special weeks, months, and days marked with celebrations that might apply to school life?” So, I tried to create just that. But, it’s likely that I missed a few celebrations (there are thousands!), so I made this calendar an editable template for you to rework to your heart’s content. Here’s what you’ll get today:

  • An editable, printable 2023-2024 calendar with celebratory dates marked throughout (download at the end of this post)
  • A list of celebrations for each month of the year with linked resources

I wish everyone a wonderful back to school season. Have fun celebrating!

August 2023

August 2023 Calendar

September 2023

September 2023 Calendar

October 2023

October 2023 Calendar

November 2023

November 2023 Calendar

December 2023

December 2023 Calendar

January 2024

January 2024 Calendar

February 2024

February 2024 Calendar

March 2024

April 2024

April 2024 Calendar

May 2024

May 2024 Calendar

June 2024

June 2024 Calendar

July 2024

July 2024 Calendar

2023-2024 Back to School Editable Calendar Template

Get the Editable 2023-2024 Calendar Template
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Digital Public Library of America Home Page
Back to SchoolHistorySocial Studies

Back to School: Primary Sources, Interactive Resources, and Maps for Teaching History

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you teaching history or social studies this year and looking for new tools and resources to incorporate into your lessons? As you prepare to go back to school, you may find yourself looking for a few new arrows for your teaching quiver. If so, you will find this roundup of excellent tools and resources for teaching history useful. We’ll explore several categories:

  • Primary Sources
  • Teaching Maps
  • Interactive Resources

Let’s take a look at resources available for teaching history, and how you can learn more.

Did You Know?

EduProtocols resources are available for teaching social studies and history! Explore some resources and watch a conversation about using EduProtocols in Social Studies.

1. Primary Sources

Looking for primary sources to work with in history class? It never hurts to revisit “What is a primary source?”.

There are a lot of history and social studies resources featuring primary source material. Some include tidy searches like Gilder Lehrman Institute. Others require a bit more content curation. Let’s take a look at a selection of primary historical source data:

Some resources specific to Texas:

Pairing Primary Sources with Strategies

You can pair information from primary sources with specific strategies such as:

These strategies allow students to get more hands-on and process information.

Creating Historical Artifacts

What’s more, encourage students to create their own historical artifacts, such as:

  • Digital collections
  • Digital documentaries
  • Digital visualizations
  • Infographics
  • Maps
  • Multimedia essays
  • Social media essays

Digital tools that make the creation of these artifacts easier abound. These options “…allow students agency in demonstrating their knowledge” (source).

Not sure how to get started teaching history with primary sources? Read what Larry Ferlazzo has to say on the subject. He cites several different educators who offer their perspectives and methodology on teaching history with primary sources.

2. Terra Incognita: Teaching Maps

While traveling in England in my youth, I stumbled upon a map store in a small town. It featured beautiful maps and map replicas that captured my eye, whisking me away into the past. I studied the borders of the known world at the time the map was drawn with interest. There was something magical about seeking out dangerous beasts and mythical creatures at maps edge.

Students of history may also find reading maps from yesteryear and making their own maps of great interest. I couldn’t agree more with this quote from the History of Cartography website:

“People come to know the world the way they come to map it—through their perceptions of how its elements are connected and of how they should move among them…by situating the map at the heart of cultural life and revealing its relationship to society, science, and religion…. It is trying to define a new set of relationships between maps and the physical world that involve more than geometric correspondence. It is in essence a new map of human attempts to chart the world.”

—Edward Rothstein, New York Times, as cited at source

Additional Articles on Teaching Maps

You may already be familiar with teaching maps. If not, you might find this collection of TCEA blog entries helpful as resources for teaching history with maps:

Map Tools and Resources

With those ideas and resources for using maps for teaching history in mind, here are a few more tools. You will find these helpful and can apply many of the great ideas in the blog entries to these.

3. Interactive Resources

As an educator, I eschewed interactive resources as distractions from students doing and making. Over time, my perspective shifted as the available tools allowed for more interaction. Here is a list of great interactive resources for teaching history to explore, and you can also find lists of ideas for using interactive resources online.

Want to connect game-based learning with history and/or social studies? Be sure to explore Microsoft’s Minecraft and take advantage of virtual world-building with Minetest (free).

Bonus Tool: Use Curipod to Help Craft Lessons

Let’s take a moment to look at a technology tool replete with lessons, resources, and content. In fact, it comes highly recommended by educator Stephanie Howell who says, “I have recently fallen in love with Curipod” (source: email list message, 07/24/2023).

Want to write lessons with AI help? Wish you had a collection of lessons and resources for teaching history? You might check out the free Curipod website. You can sign up at no cost, and find a wealth of resources online. A search on history yields a host of “curipod” lessons for history and geography. Stephanie Howell shares a walkthrough of Curipod’s tools, and you can learn more about this tool via Curipod’s YouTube channel.

Explore Curiopod on your own and view free tier details

I hope you’ve found these tools and resources for teaching history and social studies helpful and interesting. Do you plan to incorporate some of these in the coming school year? Let us know how it goes in the comments. And if you have a favorite resource or tool to share, please let us know!

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Back to SchoolSocial-Emotional Learning

Transitioning Back to School After a Holiday Break

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

For teachers, the holiday break is one of the best times of the year. When I was a teacher, I remember being so excited to get a break so I could catch up on sleep. I also remember the days leading up to returning to school and thinking about how I was going to get back into my school routine. It’s important that we allow ourselves and our students time to transition back to school. Below are a few tips to help make that transition easier.

Review Expectations

I always considered the first day back from a holiday break to be just like the first day of school. You will want to review classroom expectations and procedures. It’s helpful if you have these written or posted somewhere so that students can visually see them. There are many fun ways to review classroom expectations. You could play games such as two truths and lie, jeopardy, and more. 

Ease Into Learning

Plan for a reflection assignment, group work, or something hands on for students. More than likely, your students won’t be mentally or emotionally prepared for a hard assignment right when they walk in the door. Give them some time to transition back into learning.

Be Empathetic

Remember to be empathetic. Not every student will return to school happy or ready for the classroom. Some younger students might have a hard time being separated from their parents or guardians. Have some extra patience and compassion. Practice empathy while consistently enforcing your classroom expectations at the same time.

Reflect on Your Strategies

Take some time on your break for a little self-evaluation. Consider your teaching strategies in general. What has been successful? Are there any that need improvement? Are you incorporating high-yield instructional strategies into your classroom? Make a few notes and use them in your planning when you return to school.

Have a Plan for Stress Management

Upon returning, have a plan for how you are going to handle the stress of teaching. Brainstorm a few ideas over the break that will help you when you return to school. It could be something as small as meditating for five or ten minutes a day. This can make a big difference.

Five Tips for Transitioning Back to School After Holiday Break

Remember to take some time to ease the students and yourself back into the routine of learning. If you like these tips, you can learn more from Diana at TCEA 2023. She will be presenting a session on Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom where you can get tips for self-care for not only you but your students as well. She is also presenting a session on incorporating high-yield strategies into your classroom.

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Back to SchoolPlanning and Preparation

Get Organized with These Five Digital Tools

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Ever find yourself stressing over, well– everything? What if you had some digital tools that could ease your troubles? It’s no surprise that stress increases the less organized you are, and it can affect your sleep. Get organized and improve your health by decreasing:

  • Clutter. In digital or physical form, clutter raises the stress hormone cortisol.
  • Disorganization. Too much disorganization can inhibit sleep and distract you from tasks and other work you need to focus on.
  • Depression and feelings of overwhelm. It may be you have too much content to manage (source).

You can decrease the effects of disorganization, depression, and digital detritus by getting organized. Here are some recommendations from educators on digital tools that can help.

Tool #1: Create To-Do Lists

One way you can get a handle on what needs doing is through checklists. A popular checklist is a To-Do List. One tool you can try is Clickup. It’s “free forever” according to their website, and it makes keeping track of the following easy:

  • Tasks
  • Whiteboard
  • Docs
  • Chat
  • Goals

See a list of its features online. Looking for another option? Check out Google Notes, Todoist, and Microsoft ToDo as alternatives.

Tool #2: Block Social Media to Stay Focused

Find yourself working, then you get distracted by a ping from your social media? If you are working in a Chrome or Chromium brower, try StayFocusd. This donationware Chrome extension blocks a list of websites of your choice. This ensures that you remain focused on your work (or whatever you are trying to do).

get organized
Screenshot by author

StayFocusd restricts the amount of time you spend on websites. Once the allotted time expires, the website becomes inaccessible. Kind of scary, isn’t it?

Tool #3: Make How-To Guides for Students

If you’re like me, you may find yourself creating and sending tutorials to others. Scribehow.com may offer a tool you would find helpful in creating and organizing. Professor Fangirl [translated from Twitterspeak] writes:

I use Scribehow.com to create “how-to” guides for my students. These are about how to access course materials, grades, and more. It also helps new faculty learn how to maneuver through our school platforms. You can add steps and text to the pictorial guide it creates for clarity. (adapted for readability from source)

get organized
Screenshot by author

 

Tool #4: Take Notes on What You Read

One of my favorite annotation tools is Zotero. Zotero is a digital helper for note-taking and outlining, but it also helps with collection and organization. My daughter, a post-doctoral fellow, loves no-cost Zotero. Taking notes on what you are reading is important. What happens if you combine Zotero, a citation tool, with Notion, a powerful note-taking tool?

Free users in Notion get an unlimited number of pages, and you get a variety of page types. Now, Notion is quite powerful. You may find that it can support your needs as you work to organize them.

The Personal Pro Plan is free for students and educators. This lets you collaborate with unlimited guests and gives you version history. Sign up with your school email address and you’ll immediately gain access to these features. Change the email associated with your account to your school email address to get it for free. If you’re on our free Education Plan, you’ve been upgraded to the Personal Pro Plan. Visit the help center to learn more.

If you need a mobile-friendly app, then Notion may be the one (great eight-minute video) you are looking for. There are several video tutorials.

In a previous blog entry, I wrote:

Zotero offers collection, organization, citation, and research-sharing options. This allows you to save everything you have on the computer version of Zotero to the cloud. Zotero works on a variety of platforms. It is more of a citation and research sharing tool.

Now, you can also take notes on what you save to Zotero and Notion with the free Notero add-on. You may find this tutorial beneficial:

 

Tool #5: End Repetitive Typing

Find yourself typing the same comment or feedback message to students or colleagues? You may need a tool that I find helpful. This tool saves me time because it prevents me from having to retype the same (or almost the same) message. What I like about this type of tool is that I can fine-tune the wording and message, then save it for use again and again.

Two tools you can use include Text Expander and Phrase Express. You can watch a quick overview of Text Expander:

While both tools have costs associated, Phrase Express is free for personal use. Text Expander saves your text chunks or clips to the cloud, while Phrase Express runs on your own device. It works on Windows or Mac.

Watch this short tutorial for Phrase Express:

Here’s to starting out the school year with tools that can help us stay organized, be more focused, and get more sleep at night. Have any favorites of your own? Add them in the comments.

Feature Image Source

Created by TCEA.

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