Free Stuff

Start the new year right...with classroom freebies.

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Great contests and grants will help keep your fall fresh and exciting.

COOL CONTESTS

Extreme Classroom Makeover

Looking to overhaul your classroom? EXPO is teaming up with Paige Hemmis of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Scholastic Instructor for the 2007 EXPO Classroom Makeover Contest. Grand prize? A $25,000 classroom makeover!
Deadline: October 15, 2007
Here’s How: For rules and prizes, visit www.expoclassroommakeover.com.

Virtual Team Challenge 2007 EVENT!

Deloitte is offering your high-school students the chance to learn,have fun, and earn national attention as they enter the virtual business world in teams and raise real money for charity. Prizes include $1,000 donations to charity, $500 to your school, and letters of commendation.
Registration Deadline: September 14
Challenge Begins: October 22

Here's How: For rules and prizes, visit www.vtchsevent.com

Know a Math Motivator?

Mr. Tu, from Math’scool DVD, is a robot who motivates students to learn. Now students can nominate a great math teacher who is a real-life Mr. Tu­, Math Teacher Extraordinaire.
Deadline: October 15, 2007
Here’s How: For details, go to www.bestquest.com/talentsearch .

Attention Mathematicians!

Math League’s contests can add excitement to any mathematics program. Students in grades 4–6 and 6–8 play in a series of competitions that occur all over the country.
Deadlines: October 2007
Here’s How: Visit www.mathleague.com/ for exact contest rules, which vary by region.

Kid-Sized Critics
Students ages 9–13 get the chance to write book reviews and have them published in Moment magazine’s Publish-a-Kid Contest. All entries should be between 250 and 500 words.
Deadline: December 15, 2007
Here’s How: Send your students to
www.momentmag.com.

GREAT GRANTS

Make Music
Has your school made cuts to the music program? The Melody Program provides musical instruments and instrument repairs to K–12 school music programs that have no other source of financing.
Deadline:Rolling
Here's How: Sing your program’s praises at www.mhopus.org/teachers.asp.

More than Just a Snowy Day

Celebrate the multicultural work of author Ezra Jack Keats, and you could be eligible for this $500 award.
Deadline: September 15, 2007
Here’s How: Visit http://ezra-jack-keats.org/programs/minigrant.html.

Make Your Own Stamps

Tired of selling candy to raise funds? The ArtStamps program personalizes U.S. postage stamps with kids’ artwork that they can sell to friends and family and raise money for their schools. Here’s How: Visit www.myartstamps.com.

Take Your Class Outside

Get out and smell the roses! Lowe’s Home Improvement and National Geographic have teamed up to help schools build or improve an outdoor classroom with this unique grant.
Deadline: December 31, 2007
Here’s How: Get out and visit http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/grants.

Calling Math and Science Lessons!

Great lessons can add up to great grants. K–6 teachers can send their best lessons to the Toshiba America Foundation Grants Program for K–6 Math & Science Education
Deadline: October 1, 2007
Here’s How: Head to www.toshiba.com/tafpub and click on How to Apply.

CLASSROOM RESOURCES

Keeping Kids Cyber-Safe

The free Family/Educator Toolbox has three components: Social Networking 101, Start a Conversation, and Safety Tips. It’s designed to teach educators and kids how to use networking sites.Here’s How: Visit www.2SMRT4U.com.

Inspire Your Budding Renoirs

Little artists will love Tux Paint, the free drawing program for children ages 3 to 12. It combines an easy-to-use interface, fun sound effects, and a cartoon mascot who guides children as they use the program.
Here’s How: Go to www.tuxpaint.org.

Free Reading Activities

The Starfall learn-to-read Web site has lots of fun activities for readers at all levels. Activities include interactive comics, folktales, plays, and much more.
Here’s How: Visit www.starfall.com.

Learn More About Intervention

Curriculum Associates’ free Response to Intervention (RTI) modules demonstrate how teachers can use this model for intervention programs.
Here’s How: Find out more by going online to www.curriculumassociates.com/professional-development. Click on CA101 training.

Need an Extra Activity?

You’ll find tons of resources on the 42explore Web site. Teachers and students can click on a wide variety of topics—from Lewis and Clark to literary criticism—and find “four to explore” for each topic. This includes information, definitions, links, and other resources.
Here’s How: Visit www.42explore.com to start exploring!

The “Talk Like a Pirate Day” Kit
Celebrate pirates on September 19 with a downloadable classroom activity kit from Harcourt Children’s Books. Appropriate for grades 1–4.
Here’s How: Go to www.harcourtbooks.com/pirates and brace yourself for a roomful of pirates. Ahoy,Matey!

Teacher Resource Books for Starting the School Year
This teacher created book list is an excellent resource for first year teachers. It includes interest inventories, bulletin boards, activities and tips that new teachers can use for starting the school year right.

Teacher Tips: Managing Math Manipulatives
In this Teacher Tip, Miller discusses managing manipulitaves - small pieces and their containers.

January/February Survival Guide
Now that you have hit your stride and have more self-confidence in your teaching abilities, you will find it easier to vary your instructional approach from time to time. The January/February issue is filled with inspiring ideas on how to rev up your lessons and keep the learning momentum going.