Flocabulary Updates Blog730x398

The latest updates to Flocabulary

At Flocabulary, we’re always adding new lessons and other exciting updates. Check here to make sure you’re always up to date.

We add new lessons every Friday for the Week in Rap! Watch them here.

October 2024

New Flocabulary Videos

Earning Money lesson cover

Earning Money: In this lesson, students learn about income and how people earn money to buy things they need or want. Students consider different sources of income and jobs.

Telling Time to the Minute lesson cover

Telling Time to the Minute: In this lesson, students learn how to tell time to the minute. Students apply their knowledge about clock features and build upon their foundation on telling time to five minutes to tell time to the minute.

Spending, Saving, Sharing video cover

Saving, Spending, Sharing: Money management is all about making choices. In this lesson, students learn about saving, spending, and sharing money.

How People Use Technology lesson cover

How People Use Technology: In this lesson, students learn about how people use technology. Students explore the different types of technology, and they consider how technology helps solve problems.

Charitable Giving lesson cover

Charitable Giving: Charitable giving is good for the world, and it’s also good for the people who engage in it. In this lesson, students learn how they can help their community through charitable giving.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

  • The Railway Train: In this adaptation of “The Railway Train” by Emily Dickinson, an extended metaphor is used for a train.
  • History of LEGO Bricks: In this informational lesson students learn about the history of LEGO bricks and how they’ve become the building blocks we know today.
  • Citing Text Evidence: In this lesson, students will learn how to cite evidence from a text when making inferences. They will then practice analyzing details that help support their inferences by watching and analyzing a video about Vincent van Gogh.

September 2024

New Flocabulary Videos

Borrowing an Lending Flocabulary

Borrowing & Lending: In this lesson, students will learn about borrowing and lending and why we might need to borrow or lend in everyday life. Students consider what it means to be responsible borrowers and lenders.

Caring for Technology

Caring for Technology: In this lesson, students learn about caring for technology. Students consider what they can do to make sure their devices remain in good condition.

August 2024

New Flocabulary Videos

Public-vs-Private-Goods_FLO_preview

Public vs. Private Goods: Why is the public library available to everyone? Why are people’s cars off-limits to others? In this lesson, students learn about the difference between public and private goods.

What-is-Money_FLO_preview

What Is Money?: What can we do with money, and why do we need it? In this lesson, students learn about what money is and what it’s used for.

Passwords-and-Privacy_FLO_preview

Passwords & Privacy: In this lesson, students learn about what passwords are, why we need them, and what makes a good password. Students also consider what information is safe and unsafe to share online.

What-is-an-Algorithm_FLO_preview

What Is an Algorithm?: We use algorithms in everyday life and in computer programming. In this lesson, students gain a basic understanding of algorithms.

Being-a-Good-Digital-Citizen_FLO_preview

Being a Good Digital Citizen: Going online can be educational and fun, but there are risks involved. In this lesson, students learn about safe and responsible behavior in digital environments.

Types-of-Computers_FLO_preview

Types of Computers: What is a computer? In this lesson, students learn what computers are and how different types of computers serve different purposes.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

  • The Importance of Being Earnest: In this adaptation of Act 2 of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, two ladies of high society discover that not all is as it seems.
  • A Plant’s Life: In this informational lesson, students learn about the plant life cycle and what plants need in order to grow and thrive.

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals and Text Videos are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

July 2024

NEW: Playlists

Text Structure Playlist

Playlists enable teachers to curate a set of Flocabulary videos to extend student learning. You can curate your own playlists by hand or using AI* and choose from a library of playlists curated by the Flocabulary team. The full playlist library and AI capabilities are available to Flocabulary Plus users, while users with Lite licenses will be able to curate playlists manually and access a selection of playlists from the Flocabulary library. All playlists, whether created by you or the Flocabulary team, will let you queue up a list of Flocabulary songs to play back to back.

*AI Playlists are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

June 2024

New Flocabulary Videos

Test-Taking Vocabulary preview

Test-Taking Vocabulary: This song teaches test-taking vocabulary words commonly found on high-stakes tests, including many of Larry Bell’s 12 Powerful Words. Students review words like “”infer,” “compare,” and “evaluate” with an adaptation of the folktale “Chicken Little.”

May 2024

New Flocabulary Videos

Roberto Clemente lesson cover

Roberto Clemente: Roberto Clemente was a major league baseball player who became well-known for his athleticism, as well as for his support of Puerto Rican baseball players and his humanitarianism. In this lesson, students learn about Roberto Clemente’s life and work.

Confucianism lesson cover

Confucianism: In this lesson, students learn about Confucianism, an ancient philosophy that plays a foundational role in Chinese society and politics to this day.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

  • Why I Love Thee? Why I No Longer Love Thee?: In this adaptation of Sadakichi Hartmann’s “Why I Love Thee?” and “Why I No Longer Love Thee?” two speakers express their feelings through imagery and word choices.
  • Pigeons: In this informational lesson, students learn about pigeons and their history as the oldest domesticated bird species.

New Nearpod Original Videos

  • The Tenth Amendment: In this one-minute video, students learn about the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. A host explains the origins of this amendment, and students consider how it affects governance today.

*Nearpod Originals and Text Videos are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

April 2024

New Flocabulary Video

Ellen Ochoa Flocab preview

Ellen Ochoa: In this lesson, students learn about Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space. Students consider the impact of her achievements and her influence on young students who want to pursue a career in STEM.

New Nearpod Original Video

Intro to Personifcation - Flocab preview

Intro to Personification: In this one-minute video, students learn about personification. A host explains what personification is and why an author might use it, and students consider various examples of this literary device.

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

March 2024

New Flocabulary Videos

Anomalies lesson cover

Anomalies: This lesson contextualizes 11 SAT words through a story about an unusual family.

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

February 2024

New Flocabulary Text Videos

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Video texts and Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

January 2024

New Flocabulary Videos

Womens Rights lesson cover

Women’s Rights: In this lesson, students learn about the women’s rights movement. They will follow the significant events as well as the influential activists who contributed to the fight for women’s rights.

New Nearpod Original Video

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

December 2023

New Flocabulary Videos

Middle Ages - Africa lesson thumbnail

Middle Ages: Africa: In this lesson, students learn about the African Middle Ages, a time of flourishing, empire-building, and the spread of new ideas.

Ancient China lesson thumbnail

Ancient China: This song follows the major dynasties of ancient China. Students learn about the dynasties’ contributions and how they influenced ancient and modern Chinese society. 

November 2023

NEW: Vocabulary Practice Sets

Science Vocabulary Practice Videos

Teachers can enhance students’ vocabulary using our new personalized Vocabulary Practice Sets. These sets include up to 10 subject-specific words tailored to each student’s proficiency and practice needs.

*Vocabulary Practice Sets are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

October 2023

New Flocabulary Videos

Between the Wars: This song chronicles the rise of Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini—the infamous dictators of the 1930s. These dictators used racism, propaganda, and impassioned nationalist sentiment to rise to power.

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

September 2023

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Videos

Sojourner Truth: Sojourner Truth was an abolitionist, activist, and humanitarian who became well-known for her brilliant lectures and speeches. In this lesson, students learn about Sojourner Truth’s life and work. The lyrics for this song were written in collaboration with Isabella, an elementary student and 2023 winner of Flocabulary’s Black History Month Rap Contest.

Frederick Douglass: In this informational lesson students learn about Frederick Douglass’s life and work as an abolitionist. The lyrics for this song were written in collaboration with Arcadio, a 10th grader and 2023 winner of Flocabulary’s Black History Month Rap Contest.

August 2023

Flocabulary Plus Product Updates

Analytics Dashboards: Teachers and administrators can now gain insight into Flocabulary’s impact on their students’ word exposure and word practice, as well as how students perform on vocabulary words across subjects, schools, grades, and classes with our new extensive and insightful dashboard.

New Flocabulary Videos

50 Years of Hip-Hop (1973-2023): On August 11, 2023, hip-hop turned 50 years old. Take a trip through the history of hip-hop in this five-part video covering (almost) everything from DJ Kool Herc’s 1973 party in the Bronx to the modern streaming era.

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

July 2023

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

June 2023

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

May 2023

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

April 2023

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

March 2023

New Flocabulary Videos

The Mexican Revolution: The Mexican Revolution was a long and drawn-out battle that transformed Mexico from dictatorship to a constitutional republic In this lesson, students learn about the causes of the Revolution and its major events. The lyrics for this song were written in collaboration with Hariharan, a 6th grader and 2022 winner of Flocabulary’s Hispanic Heritage Month Rap Contest

Rigoberta Menchú: In this lesson, students learn about Rigoberta Menchú Tum, a Guatemalan civil rights activist. Students consider the impact of her achievements and her determination to fight for social justice and for Indigenous rights in Guatemala.

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

February 2023

New Nearpod Original Videos

*Nearpod Originals are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

January 2023

Flocabulary Plus Product Updates

Co-teachers: Educators can easily collaborate with their co-teachers within the Flocabulary platform by adding co-teachers to their Flocabulary classes!

Nearpod Original videos are engaging, standards-aligned video-based lessons covering various subjects and grade levels, created by the same team responsible for Flocabulary content, designed to foster personal and emotional connections while promoting effective learning.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.


December 2022

New Flocabulary Videos

The Brain: What organ takes up 20% of your body’s energy? The brain! In this lesson, students learn about the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem and how they work.

46 Presidents: This song lists the 46 presidents of the United States in chronological order, making it easy to remember all the heads of the executive branch. It also provides key facts about many of the presidents.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

November 2022

New Flocabulary Videos

The Outsiders: In this lesson, students will learn about this classic young-adult novel about the haves and have-nots. 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis and his gang of greasers have been battling the wealthy Socs for years—but are the two groups really that different inside?

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

October 2022

New Flocabulary Videos

Russian Revolution: The Russian Revolution was a turning point in history that transformed Russia from a tsarist empire to the first communist nation in the world. In this lesson, students learn the causes of the Revolution and its effects in Russia and the world at large.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

September 2022

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

August 2022

New Flocabulary Videos

Louis Armstrong: In this lesson, students learn about Louis Armstrong, a pioneering jazz musician. They explore Armstrong’s rise to fame as well as his massive impact on American music and culture. The lyrics for this song were written in collaboration with Atharv, an 8th grader and 2022 winner of Flocabulary’s Black History Month Rap Contest

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

July 2022

New Flocabulary Videos

August Wilson: In this lesson, students learn about the life and work of acclaimed Black American playwright August Wilson. The lyrics for this song were written in collaboration with Nia, a 4th grader and 2022 winner of Flocabulary’s Black History Month Rap Contest

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

June 2022

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

May 2022

New Flocabulary Videos

Harvey Milk: In this lesson, students learn about the life and career of Harvey Milk. Known as one of the first out gay politicians in the United States, Milk used his unique vision of local government to break into San Francisco politics. Though his life was cut short, his legacy has carried on throughout the 20th century and beyond.

War of 1812: In this lesson, students learn about the causes, major events, and outcome of the War of 1812.

How a Bill Becomes a Law: There’s a million ways a bill can be killed—but a select few become a law! In this lesson, students learn how a bill becomes a law. They will follow a bill’s path through the House, Senate, and president on its way to becoming a law. They will also examine the many ways bills are killed.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

April 2022

Flocabulary Plus Product Updates

Flocabulary Mix is a new feature that guides students through close viewing and analysis of Flocabulary videos. We’ve created a library of two new video types for Flocabulary Mix: Skill Videos and Video Texts.

Flocabulary Break it Down example using Oceans video and Main Topic skills video

Break It Down is an analysis activity that helps students practice comprehension strategies and develop evidence-gathering habits. It’s a key part of the Flocabulary Mix instruction, and you can also find it in your favorite Flocabulary lessons.

New Flocabulary Videos

Día de los Muertos: In this lesson, students learn about Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Students explore the origins of the holiday and consider the significance of this cultural celebration.

Luis Alvarez: In this lesson, students learn about Luis Alvarez, the first Hispanic American to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. They become familiar with his accomplishments and explore his pivotal asteroid impact theory.

The Neolithic Revolution: In this lesson, students will learn how the Neolithic Revolution, also called the Agricultural Revolution, changed the course of human history.

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

March 2022

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.

February 2022

New Flocabulary Text Videos

*Video texts are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.


December 2021

Vertebrates: Reptiles – In this lesson, introduce students to reptiles, one of five groups of vertebrates. Students will explore common characteristics and different species of reptiles.

California Gold Rush – In this lesson, students learn about the California Gold Rush. They will learn how the gold rush began, what life was like during the gold rush, and the effects the gold rush had on the state of California

October 2021

Persuasive Techniques in Advertising – In this new lesson, students learn several techniques used in advertising as well as some important questions to ask any time they come across an ad.

Verbs – In this new lesson, students learn about verbs and verb tenses. Students will learn why verbs are important to complete sentences, how to identify a verb, and how to write verbs in different tenses.

August 2021

The Summer Recap (Grades 3-12) – From the Tokyo Olympics to protests in Cuba, a heat dome, unidentified flying objects, and more, take a look back at the biggest news stories of summer 2021 with the Week in Rap crew. Watch the Summer Recap Junior (Grades 3-5) here.

July 2021

Nouns  – In this lesson, students learn that a noun is a part of speech that names a person, place, thing, or idea. They study the difference between common nouns and proper nouns, and learn how to form plural nouns.

Emmett Till – “Let the people see what I’ve seen.” In this lesson, students will learn the story of Emmettt Till and how his mother, Marnie Till, helped spark the civil rights movement. They will follow Emmett Till’s early life and final days and explore how Marnie Till’s decision to have an open casket funeral exposed the horrors of the Jim Crow South to the world.

Fannie Lou Hamer – “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” In this lesson, students learn about Fannie Lou Hamer, a leading voice of the civil rights movement. They consider her rise to activism through the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and her pivotal testimony at the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

June 2021

The Skeletal System: In addition to helping us move and providing structural support and protection, the skeletal system aids in calcium storage and blood cell production. In this lesson, students will discover the structure and function of bones and the skeletal system.

The Digestive System: How does the body turn the food we eat into energy it can use? In this lesson, students will learn which organs make up the digestive system and how they contribute to the process of digestion.

May 2021

The Respiratory System: How does the body get the oxygen it needs to survive? In this lesson, students will track air’s journey through the respiratory system when we inhale—from the trachea to the bronchi to the alveoli and capillaries in the lungs to the bloodstream to the heart—and all the way back again when we exhale!

March 2021

Slavery in America: The legacy of slavery in America is long, enduring, and critical to reckon with. In this lesson, students trace the history of slavery in America from the first ship carrying kidnapped Africans in 1619 to the Civil War. Students will examine the economic, political, and legal factors that contributed to the institution and continuation of slavery throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

The Roaring Twenties: In this lesson, students learn about the growing economic and cultural divide between urban and rural Americans. They also learn how the trends of the ’20s led to the Great Depression.

Anger: Everyone feels angry sometimes—but it’s important to find coping strategies to deal with this emotion instead of engaging in destructive behavior. In this lesson, students learn about the physical warning signs of anger and how they can express themselves in a healthy way.

José Hernández: He used to go outside and look up at the moon. He knew his opportunity would come soon. In this lesson, students learn about José Hernández, a Mexican American astronaut. Students examine his early life and journey to becoming a NASA astronaut and consider the role determination played in his life.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: The Mexican phoenix, Sor Juana was a genius. In this lesson, students learn about Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a 17th-century scholar, nun, and champion for women’s education. They learn how her life was filled with controversy, and consider how her legacy lives on today.


December 2020

What Is Stress?: We all feel stress in our daily lives—but what exactly is stress? In this lesson, students learn that our bodies are biologically wired to feel stress, and stress isn’t always a bad thing, as long as we have healthy coping strategies in mind.

Forests: This lesson introduces the forest biome. Students learn about the three major forest types—tropical rainforest, temperate forest, and taiga—and the physical characteristics of each. They also learn how plants and animals have adapted to survive in each type of forest.

Land Biomes: A biome is a region of similar ecosystems characterized by a particular climate and plant and animal life. In this lesson, students will learn about four major land biomes: grassland, forest, desert and tundra.

Year in Rap 2020: The Year in Rap highlights some of the biggest news stories of the year in world news, national news, science, tech, sports, entertainment, and news related to students.


November 2020

Toni Morrison: This lesson introduces students to the life and work of acclaimed American author Toni Morrison. They learn about her childhood in Ohio and career as the first Black female fiction editor at Random House. They explore the social context and universal themes that made Morrison’s work so powerful.

James Baldwin: “I am the grandson of a slave, and I am a writer. I must deal with both.” This lesson introduces students to the life and work of American writer James Baldwin. They explore his frank discussions of racism and discrimination in the United States and abroad. They also learn how Baldwin’s refusal to pigeonhole his writing and identity made him a true iconoclast.

Marsha P. Johnson: This lesson introduces students to the life and activism of gay and trans rights activist Marsha P. Johnson. They learn about her childhood, her life in New York City, and her involvement in the gay rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s. They explore her legacy and the lack of recognition she received while she was still alive.

Misplaced Modifiers: In this lesson, students will learn to identify and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. When modifiers are in the wrong place in a sentence, they can create some confusing—and hilarious—situations!


October 2020

Tornados

Where do tornadoes come from? This lesson teaches students about the conditions required for tornadoes to form. They will also learn some facts and figures about tornadoes as well as the safest place to be during a tornado.

What is Wind?

Where does wind come from? In this lesson, students will learn about wind and how wind is formed. They will define wind as moving air, learn how to describe wind using speed and direction, and explore how moving air masses create wind.

Wind Patterns

Where does wind come from? In this lesson, students learn how wind is produced by the uneven heating of Earth’s surface and the resulting differences in air temperature and pressure. They will also discover concepts like the Coriolis effect and global and local wind patterns.

Tundras

What is the tundra? In this lesson, students will learn about this cold, dry biome. They will also discover some of the different adaptations plant and animal species have developed to live in the tundra.

September 2020

Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black American military pilots. In this lesson, students will learn about the Tuskegee Airmen’s contributions during World War II and how their valiant efforts paved the way for desegregating the military and American society.

Plessy v. Ferguson

In this lesson, students learn about the historical context surrounding this landmark case, as well as the events leading up to the Supreme Court’s decision. They will examine Homer Plessy and the Citizens’ Committee’s plan to challenge racial segregation and the long term impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

August 2020

Jamestown

Students learn about the first permanent English colony in North America. They’ll examine what motivated the Virginia Company to travel to the New World, the evolving interactions between colonists and local Native American tribes, and how the colony became economically viable.

Paragraph Writing 

Students learn that a paragraph is a set of sentences that are all about one topic. Essays and books are composed of many paragraphs that work together to give information or tell a story. In this lesson, students will learn how to write a paragraph, including the topic sentence, supporting details and closing sentence.

Topic Sentence

Students take a deep dive into the first sentence of a paragraph. It presents the main idea of the paragraph and tells readers what to expect as they read. In this lesson, students will learn how to write an engaging topic sentence.

Closing Sentence

Students study the sentence that finishes a paragraph. They’ll learn about how it can restate the main idea or tie together all the supporting details, and learn how to write an effective closing sentence to sum up a paragraph.

Ocean Zones

Do your students know that even though the ocean covers 70% of the planet, but humans have only explored 5% of it?! In this lesson, they’ll learn about the three ocean zones—euphotic, bathyal, and abyssal—and the types of plants and animals that live in each one.

Fitness & Exercise

Run! Jump! Dance! This lesson shows students that it’s healthy to stay active and that exercise can take many forms. Students will move with the video and find a form of activity that works for them.