Lessons and Ideas

Scientific Knowledge & Responsibility We asked you to help us select a new literature song. Thanks to your input, we’re excited to present our new song, “Frankenstein.” In Mary Shelley’s classic horror story Frankenstein, we meet an ambitious scientist who is fascinated by the creation of life. In his studies, he discovers “the secret of life.” Dr. Frankenstein makes a scientific breakthrough in his creation of the monster, but at what cost? He conducts this gruesome experiment in secrecy without consulting others, and with no consideration of the possible consequences. Dr. Frankenstein creates the monster simply because he can. This…

Using comic books in the classroom Comic books are sometimes dismissed as being juvenile distractions that lack intellectual content. However, recent research proves otherwise. Educational experts have found that using comic books can increase student interest and motivate students to read. One study found that comics can affect students’ attitudes towards and aptitude for curriculum. There are many reasons to use comics in the classroom, but there are also many ways to use them. Here are a few activity ideas for using comics in the classroom. 1. Use comics as supplemental reading Comic books are a great alternative to teach…

Halloween is here, and we have some spooky songs fit for the occasion. Prepare to face your fears of ghouls, spiders and dark scary houses!

In the classroom, inferencing is a valuable reading strategy. Inferencing happens when a reader combines clues from a text with information from their own background knowledge. From our inferences, we draw conclusions. For instance, a good reader infers the meaning of a word from context clues. Inferences happen frequently, and it isn’t limited to the classroom. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA, makes inferences all the time about safety level and the extent of damage in natural disaster areas. They even use the Waffle House for data. The Wall Street Journal has reported on the "Waffle House…

[jwplayer file=http://flocabulary.s3.amazonaws.com/media/presidential-election-process-media.mp4 image=http://flocabulary.s3.amazonaws.com/images/presidential-election-process-image.jpg]  Check out the lyrics and more for our presidential election process video.  The debates are over, and election night is fast approaching. Here are some ideas for election night activities and lessons. 1. Fact-check the candidates It has long been accepted as fact that all politicians lie, but in the modern information age, it’s easier than ever to immediately call them on it and share the truth with the public. Politifact.com is a fact-checking website that does exactly that. A politician says something and within minutes fact-checkers are rating the truth of the statement. Show your students Barack…