At Flocabulary, there’s one resource we could never live without: teachers. Our teachers are always inspiring us with the new and creative ways they implement Flocabulary in their classrooms. Here is a unique and super fun lesson plan that comes to us from Yvonne Maisel of Wake County Public Schools in NC.

For printable lyrics, a test and more, click here. 

Teaching Ecosystems Through Music

Grade Level: 3-5
1. Initiate and facilitate discussion regarding ecosystems using Flocabulary’s “Ecosystems” song. Pause to discuss concepts such as food webs and animals that would live in various biomes

2. Review challenge questions and construct multiple possible answers, referring back to lyrics to validate answer choices.

3. Discuss biomes using http://worldwildlife.org/biomes to support Flocabulary ecosystems introduction.

4. View biomes PowerPoint.

5. Select which biome a fox would most like to live in (multiple answers).

6. View “What does the Fox Say?” to discuss what the fox says, who lives with a fox, what ecosystems are represented in the video, and what food chains are expressed.

7. Begin to draw ecosystems for the fox to inhabit.

Additional Material from Yvonne
We have previously made origami foxes because we are also considering how origami plays a role in STEM currently and how origami can/does translate into modern engineering principles. Here’s the site I created to synthesis science and origami.

 

 

 

 

 

Every week, our Week in Rap Shout Out Contest gives students an opportunity to win a shout out for their school in the next Week in Rap. Last week, we asked you to send in three questions for the Flocabulary team. In addition to giving the winner a shout out, we’re also answering their questions, as well as the questions from the runners-up.

Congratulations to our winning school Murray Hill Middle School in Laurel, MD, as well as our runners-up Hidden Oaks Middle School, FL, and Jonesboro Math & Science Magnet School, AR.

With no further ado, our answers to your questions: Continue reading →

BROOKLYN (AUGUST 15, 2013) Flocabulary, an online library of educational hip-hop videos, today announced the launch of a revamped site with new features designed to help teachers implement Common Core State Standards. The product release also includes 17 new CCSS-aligned videos for English Language Arts.

With the new deployment, all Flocabulary units for math and ELA are aligned to Common Core Standards. Teachers can now navigate based on grade, subject and standard, and search using key words.

“Our goal is to make educational content more accessible for teachers and more engaging for students,” says Alex Rappaport, Flocabulary’s Co-Founder and CEO. “These new features will help teachers use Flocabulary more effectively to meet their CCSS objectives and bring their lessons to life.”

With the addition of new CCSS-aligned units for ELA, Flocabulary has expanded its robust library of content for teaching the Common Core in grades K-12. Topics include reading strategies like “Main Idea” and “Context Clues,” and writing strategies like “Using Descriptive Language” and “Point of View.” For older students, there are several videos about the research process, including “Note-Taking Methods” and “Source Credibility.” These new units have made Flocabulary’s existing library of CCSS-aligned resources for math and ELA more comprehensive.

For teachers who want to explore the resources, Flocabulary offers a free two-week trial of its digital subscription program. Schools can register for 30-day trials which provide access for all teachers and students. Both options provide unlimited access to all songs, videos and lessons. Paid subscriptions are available starting at $7/month or $63/year for an individual teacher, or $1200/year for a school building.

About Flocabulary
Flocabulary is an online library of songs, videos and activities for grades K-12. Hundreds of thousands of teachers use Flocabulary to supplement their instruction and engage students. Our team of artists and educators is not only committed to raising test scores, but also to fostering a love of learning in every child. For more information, visit www.flocabulary.com.

We are SO excited to finally share our new website, which is lookin’ fresh from its back-to-school makeover. You’ll probably notice that everything is prettier, but there have been some major feature upgrades as well. Make sure you check out all of the handy new tools in our toolbox!:

1. CCSS Alignment Guide

We know that Common Core alignment is a major concern for many of our teachers. That’s why we made it easier than ever to browse Flocabulary units by Common Core standard. With our new Standards Alignment guide, you can browse by ELA or math as well as by grade level. See at a glance what videos we have for your specific standard. Explore now!

2. Revamped Unit Pages

Our unit pages are easier to navigate than ever before. You can now turn on Classroom View to optimize the site for projection in front of the class. Menus will instantly disappear, leaving a clean view of the video and the lyrics for you to share with your students. Videos are now higher quality and larger. Clickable Lyrics are back and better than ever; click on a highlighted lyric to bring up an info box and learn more. You’ll also notice that our interactive features — Challenge Questions and Fill in the Blanks — are now easily accessible via tabs on the top of each unit. Printable lyrics, activities and tests can be found on the right of the unit under “Handouts.” Below the handouts, you can quickly view recommended grade levels, CCSS alignment and a unit description.

3. Favorites

Do you find yourself returning to the same unit over and over again? Or wanting to have a set of videos ready to roll for a lesson? Now you can easily save favorite units to one place. On any unit, click the Star next to “Add Favorite,” and that unit will be saved to your Favorites. Click the Star button on the top toolbar, next to “My Account,” to see the videos you’ve saved.

4. Search

Looking for a specific unit by name or topic? Finding the right unit has never been easier. Use our new search toolbar to quickly find material that fits your needs.

5. How It Works

Need a quick overview or refresher on how to implement Flocabulary in your classroom? Visit our How It Works page anytime for a tour of all of our features, from videos to assessment. And if you’re looking for inspiration, make sure to check out the “Projects and Games” tab for out-of-the-box ideas.

6. Flocab, Month by Month

If you’re looking for seasonal activities, look no further than Flocab, Month by Month. This section is organized by month to facilitate easy planning for this month or the next. Want lesson ideas for election season in November? How about final exams in May? Or maybe even the first day of school? You’ll find it all on Flocab, Month by Month.

7. Spread the Love

Every day, we get amazing emails from educators who want to share their Flocabulary stories. We are thrilled to finally showcase their wonderful words and smiling faces on our website at Flocab Stories. And if you have your own story to share, you can submit it easily here.

 

 

 

Phew! That sure is a lot of new content! We hope you have a blast exploring everything our new site has to offer. As always, don’t hesitate to contact us with questions, comments or concerns.

Check out the lyrics and more.We’re celebrating the Class of 2013 by calling off today’s Week in Rap… and replacing it with the top news stories from the last 18 years! Hey grads: We’ve got the biggest news from every year of your life. And for those of you who were born a little earlier, let’s see how much you remember.

Then, follow up the video with our trivia worksheet, or one of these easy-to-use Mini Lessons. They are listed in order of time required, from quickest to most involved.

The Last 18 Years in Rap Mini Lessons

For each lesson, begin by watching The Last 18 Years in Rap.

1. Did You Know?
Ask students which events they knew about and which they didn’t. Choose one story they didn’t know about and learn more by clicking on lyrics. Extend the activity by asking student which stories they would have included that we left out.

2. Change the World
Ask students which event in the last 18 years changed the world the most. You should communicate that it doesn’t just have to be the most momentous or dramatic event (like 9/11), though it could be. Students should explain why they think their chosen event changed the world the most.

3. What Were They Thinking?
It’s easy to form opinions about history when all is said and done, but while events are happening, they’re more difficult to understand and form opinions about. Have students choose an event from “The Last 18 years in Rap” and find out how people felt about it while it was happening by reading editorials and op-eds from the time. Have views changed since the event? What do we know now that people couldn’t have known then?

4. The Next 18 Years in Rap
Think 18 years into the future. For you graduates, you’ll be about 36. Pretend that you are writing “The Last 18 Years in Rap” in 2030, and think about which events might have happened. Did humans walk on Mars? Did we find peace in the Middle East? Who was elected president? You could either write it out as a list or in rap form.

5. Writing History
Ask students to pretend that they are writing the chapter in a textbook for the last 18 years. (In fact, for many of you, your textbooks might not include much information about the last 18 years.) Students should figure out how they would organize the chapter. How would they divide it? What are common themes? What are the most important events? For an extended project, students could even write this as a short chapter or outline.

Did you enjoy “The Last 18 Years in Rap”? Well we usually do this weekly. You can get the top news each Friday with The Week in Rap. Start your free trial now.

Click for missing lyrics, activities and more on Public Speaking.
You asked, we listened. The Flocab hive has been buzzing with worker bees and the honey is going to be scrumptious. Here’s a sneak peek at the new songs we’ll be rolling out for next school year:

Upcoming ELA Songs

 

• Fiction vs. Nonfiction
• The Writing Process (POWER mnemonic)
• Plot Elements
• Point of View (1st, 2nd & 3rd person)
• Persuasive Language
• Who, What, When, Where, Why
• Using Descriptive Language
• Word Choice (connotation & denotation)
• Five Paragraph Essay
• The Research Process
• Context Clues
• Main Idea
• Source Credibility
• Note-Taking Methods
• Making Inferences
• Bibliography
• Ode to the Library Media Specialist

Upcoming Science Songs

 

• Parts of a Plant
• Pollination
• The Food Chain
• Adaptation
• Hurricanes
• Life Cycles
• Natural Resources
• Roles of Water
• States of Matter
• Wave Properties
• Gravity
• What Is Science?

Are you as excited as we are?! We hope so! Stay tuned in the 2013-2014 school year for these new topics and more. In the mean time, check out this month’s new additions:

New This Month

6th Grade Vocabulary: Yes We Can

Watch this video to learn fifteen vocabulary words for the sixth grade. “Yes We Can” tells the story of a Latina woman who fights to help her people. Watch now.

6th Grade Vocabulary: We Innovate

Watch this autobiographical Flocab video to learn fifteen vocabulary words for the sixth grade. Hear a bit of the Flocabulary founders’ philosophy along the way! Watch now.

7th Grade Vocabulary: Road Trip

Watch this video to learn fifteen vocabulary words for the seventh grade while you hit the road for an epic road trip! Watch now.

Social Studies: Postcolonialism

In this video, students will learn about the colonization of India and Africa as well as the works of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Watch now.

Social Studies: US Constitution

In this video, students will immerse themselves in the writing of the US constitution in a rap featuring John Locke, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Watch now.

Assigning enjoyable summer reading titles can help keep those literary gears turning over vacation — and hopefully introduce kids to new favorite books. We’ve assembled a summer reading list for all grade levels based on various recommended reading lists.

Give summer reading a multimedia twist by using Flocabulary videos to supplement! For each book, we handpicked a Flocabulary video that explores similar themes, so you can give your students a sneak peek and get them excited before they leave.

Pre-K/K

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
By Steve Jenkins

This 2004 Caldecott Honor Book takes us on a beautiful tour of different animals, from the mole to the platypus. We learn how different creatures use their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet and tails.

If you’re reading What Do You Do with a Tail…, you might also like Flocab’s K-2 story, “The Chipmunk,” which teaches exciting words like “enormous,” “magical” and “rumpus.” Listen now.

Elementary

Name That Dog! Puppy Poems from A to Z
by Peggy Archer

This silly and smart collection of poems about naming some special dogs helps early elementary students to review the alphabet and explore rhyme.

Check out our Word Up song about a dog named Manny and experience words like “blossom” and “tidy.” Watch now.

A Wizard From the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison
by Don Brown

This picture book introduces readers to the great accomplishments of Thomas Edison.

If you’re reading about Thomas Edison, include some additional context with our social studies song about the Industrial Revolution. Watch Now.

Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story
by Mark Kelly

Astronaut Mark Kelly really did fly alongside mice aboard the Endeavor shuttle in 2011. He honors those little mouse-tronauts in this story about Mike the mouse, who is determined to lend a helping hand on the space shuttle.

Complement Mike’s journey with our video about the solar system. Watch Now.

Walt Whitman: Words for America
by Barbara Kerley

A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book Honoree, this beautifully drawn biography introduces students to the fascinating life of Walt Whitman. Learn about his service as a Civil War nurse and how it inspired him to write.

Have your readers identify figurative language in Walt Whitman’s poems or incorporate wordplay into their own writing with our figurative language video. Watch Now.

Middle School

Esperanza Rising
by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Pam Muñoz Ryan draws from her own grandmother’s experiences to bring this historical fiction novel to life. We follow 13-year-old Esperanza as her family embarks on a difficult journey from Mexico to the United States. This story chronicles the obstacles she and her family face as immigrants during the Great Depression.

Help lend context to this historical fiction by listening to a rapped excerpt of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous 1933 inaugural address. Listen Now.

Stargirl
by Jerry Spinelli

At first, Stargirl’s uniqueness makes her popular. But soon her peers turn against her because she isn’t like them. Spinelli explores the challenges of conformity and being “normal” in this highly relevant teen novel.

Learn fifteen 7th grade vocabulary words in our Word Up song that explores similar themes, “Both Sides Now.” Watch Now.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle and Dante don’t think they have anything in common, but in time they become invaluable parts of each other’s lives. Join them on this realistic journey through adolescence as they discover their true identities.

Learn fifteen 8th grade vocabulary words in our Word Up song “Two Bad Cousins,” another tale of camaraderie. Watch Now.

High School

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
by Ishmael Beah

Ishmael Beah generously shares this true story of becoming a boy soldier in Sierra Leone. This powerful memoir gives readers a new perspective on the realities of violence in other parts of the world, and tells an inspiring story about rehabilitation and surviving tragedy.

Our World War I song is also written from the perspective of a soldier. Ask students to reflect how our perspective on a historical moment changes when we hear it in the first person. Listen Now.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog
by Murial Barbery

Spend some time curled up in a hammock with this funny and whimsical novel, translated from the French. It tells the story of unlikely friends in a Parisian apartment building: a secretly intellectual concierge, a dramatic 12-year-old girl, and a Japanese businessman.

This vocab song tells stories about different kinds of friendships while incorporating SAT vocab like “magnanimous,” “conciliatory” and “camaraderie.” Listen Now.

Feed
by M.T. Anderson

This science fiction novel chronicles timeless teenage troubles in a futuristic setting. Feed deftly explores consumerism and our growing dependence on technology.

This SAT vocab song about a patient and his symptoms teaches great words for discussing Feed, including “hedonist,” “frenetic” and “ominous.” Listen Now.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by Mark Haddon

This beloved novel is written from the perspective of an autistic 15-year-old, Christopher, who excels in math but flounders socially. He sets out to solve a murder mystery in this sweet and poetic novel.

Take a trip into Christopher’s world by learning SAT math vocabulary, including “decagon,” “perpendicular” and “congruent.” Listen Now.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
by Marjane Satrapi

A New York Times Notable Book, this absorbing graphic novel tells the true story of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Marjane Satrapi candidly shares her adolescence with us and lends an intimate perspective to discord in the Middle East.

Learn more about conflicts in the modern Middle East from 1948 to the present with our social studies song. Listen Now.

From everyone Flocab HQ to you: We hope you have a great summer filled with GREAT books!

A book that is shut is but a block by Kate Ter Haar, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Here at Flocabulary, there’s no one we love more than an inspirational teacher. We are so excited to take this week to celebrate the great gifts that our teachers give us. We want to share some videos and stories about teachers who are making a difference every day in their schools and their communities.

1. Ten inspiring teachers give TED talks

Click to watch all 10 TED talks.

2. Creative teachers from Jennings High School in St. Louis motivate their kids for testing

3. Five exemplary teachers discuss their strategies for success

Click to see the other videos and read the full article.

4. Ideas, videos and more for celebrating National Teacher Day from the National Educational Association

Click to see all of NEA’s resources for celebrating teachers.

5. South Australian teachers talk about why they’re inspired to teach

Click to see all 9 videos.

Teachers, you never stop inspiring us! Thank you for all that you do. Share a note about a teacher who inspired you in our comments section.

Check out what we stumbled upon in the library!

It’s our very own SAT Vocabulary book, with annotations in Chinese! Now, we do not in any way advocate writing in library books (We’ve got your back, librarians.), but we did think it was pretty cool that a Chinese speaker was studying up on English vocab using our SAT prep songs. You can explore additional ideas about using Flocabulary for English Language Learners.

And the Flocab-China connection doesn’t stop there! Remember last year’s blog post on translating Flocabulary into Chinese? We were contacted by Isabella, a postgraduate student in China who wanted to bring Hip-Hop US History to Chinese students. So she and her team took it upon themselves to translate the lyrics to every song!

Want to learn more about China? Check out our Modern China and Ancient China songs!

 

 

 

 

Flocab had a great time last week meeting librarians at this year’s Texas Library Association (TLA) conference. We learned a lot about the many duties of library media specialists! We want to celebrate their hard work, so we’re writing a new song all about what they do. But for now, we’ll let librarian Amy Fuller of Chapa Middle School (TX) explain what librarians do (and don’t do!), in her own words:

We recommend the perfect book for any and every reader.
We facilitate book clubs.
We give book talks.
We host author visits.
We teach research skills.
We assist students with their Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, Movie Maker projects, blogs, wikis, webpages, etc.
We co-teach lessons in every discipline.
We troubleshoot computer issues.
We create lifelong learners and readers.
We inspire curiosity and creativity.
We LOVE having students in the library!
We LOVE our job!

We DON’T shush.
We DON’T wear our hair in buns.
We DON’T frown and look down at kids over our horn-rimmed glasses.

Are you a librarian or library media specialist? What special things do YOU do for your students? Share in the comments below!

children’s books by BlakeSchool, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.