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neatoday
Professional
W INTER 2010
30
FREE
Things for You—
And Then Some!
CONTE NTS
Arts | 2
Civics | 3
Cool Finds | 3
English Language
Learners | 4
Health | 4
Language Arts | 5
Math | 5
Professional
Development | 6
Grant Writing | 6
Science | 8
Social Studies/
Geography/
History | 10
Special Education | 11
30
neatoday
Professional
30 Free
Things for
You—And
Then Some!
Welcome to our first edition of NEA Today Professional—
a series of e­books designed to offer practical resources
and help to educators like you.
Your time is valuable and your budget is tight, so we've
spent the hours looking for the best free classroom and
career resources for you. Videos, games, posters, lesson
plans, books, online courses—all in an annotated list that
spans multiple topics and grade levels. A wealth of free
FREE
Arts
National Gallery of Art Classroom
Resources for Teachers and Students
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Slides, CD­ROMs, DVDs available for loan
The National Gallery of Art offers the free loan of
teaching materials that meet national K­12 standards in
the visual arts. The packets/slides, CD­ROMs, DVDs, and
videos examine a variety of artists, subjects, techniques,
and styles. Many programs contain suggestions for
related activities and questions designed to stimulate
discussion of the arts, artists, and cultural and historical
issues. In addition, teachers can access numerous online
lessons and resources, searchable by curriculum, topic,
or artist.
www.nga.gov/education/classroom/loanfinder
HIDDEN GEMS:
Ancient Arcade – Classical mythology quiz, great for
language arts classes!
Counting on Art – Lesson plans that use works of art to
introduce mathematical concepts.
stuff for your classroom is just a few mouse clicks away.
Visual & Performing Arts:
E­Presentations
GRADE LEVEL: 5­12
TYPE: Online videos
Things for You –
And Then Some!
Gampel, piano; Gregory Hines, dance; Elizabeth Murray,
painting; and Richard Serra, sculpture. From the
Joy2Learn Foundation.
http://joy2learn.org/epres.php
From the Top: PBS Music Series
GRADE LEVEL: 5­12
TYPE: Online lesson plans, videos, podcasts
This PBS web site has
streaming video (8­ to
10­minute episodes)
to energize music
education in your
classroom. The series
showcases young
musicians, taking
viewers behind the scenes to capture the excitement of
the performers’ Carnegie Hall debuts. Several episodes
include a lesson plan and interactive materials. For
example, “Episode 1: Gypsy Airs” has a listening activity
that focuses on how traditional, folk, and classical music
influence one another. “Episode 13: Copland Tells a Story”
provides video background, activity instructions, and
ideas for extra credit.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/fromthetop/pages
DON ’ T MISS:
Let your students subscribe to the series by signing up
for video podcasts.
Multiple video clips of artists demonstrating and explaining
their art populate this site. In each e­Presentation, an
artist introduces his or her art form; discusses its history,
background, and specificity; presents personal insights;
and performs or demonstrates. Each e­Presentation is
supported by interactive multimedia materials such as
pictures, maps, text, and quiz games. Artists include
Wynton Marsalis, jazz; Hector Elizondo, theater; Alan
2 neatoday Professional: 30 Free Things for You
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Civics
mock election, E­Congress, teacher­developed lesson plans,
and a political campaign CD­ROM. Produced by a non­
partisan unit of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
www.youthleadership.net
iCivics
GRADE LEVEL: 5­12
TYPE: Online lesson plans, interactive games
This site was designed to reinvigorate civics learning
inside and outside the classroom. iCivics features free
lesson plans, interactive modules, and several games,
one of which introduces students to the process of
judicial reasoning and allows them to try their hand at
arguing a case. Spearheaded by Justice Sandra Day
O’Connor.
www.icivics.org/
Youth Leadership Initiative: The
Political Process
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Online lesson plans, mock election, online
simulation
This web site offers
free access (with
registration) to K­12
civic education
resources designed to
encourage student
interest and
participation in the
American political process. Activities include: Internet
FREE A DVIC E—
NE A’ S A SK THE
EXPE RT
Things for You –
And Then Some!
Created by the Verizon Foundation, Thinkfinity houses
original content plus resources from multiple partners,
including Smithsonian, the National Center for Family
Literacy, and the Council for Economic Education.
www.thinkfinity.org
HIDDEN GEM:
Free training webinars are available to help educators
make the most of Thinkfinity’s content in their
classrooms.
Cool Finds
Comic Strips Created by You
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Online comic strip maker
MakeBeliefsComix.com lets students write and illustrate
their own comic strips online and email them to family
and friends. Available in seven languages, the tool is easy
to use and fun to play with.
www.makebeliefscomix.com
Thinkfinity
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Lesson plans, learning games, professional
development
Searchable by grade
level, subject, and
content type, this site
offers interdisciplinary,
standards­based
lesson plans and
educational resources.
Create Your Own Slideshow
GRADE LEVEL: 4­12
TYPE: Online slideshow­maker
One of the better free
programs for easily
creating slideshows is
Animoto. Students
simply select the
images and music
they want to use and
click go. Animoto does
the rest. Registering for an education account lets
students create videos longer than the 30 seconds
allowed in the basic free account.
www.animoto.com
YOUR DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS SOLVED
Visit NEA’s Ask the Expert discussion board, pose your toughest challenge to the classroom management
experts, and receive an answer within 24 hours.
www.nea.org/help
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Bookmarks
GRADE LEVEL: K­9
TYPE: Printable bookmarks
This web site offers many different themed bookmarks,
including Butterfly Bookmarks—in black and white or
color—that say “Books are fun,” and Jungle Animals
Bookmarks—panda, rhinoceros, and tiger bookmarks
with “I Love Books” printed on them and elephant and
kangaroo bookmarks with “Books are my best friend.”
http://printstationary.net
download toolkits, tip sheets, webcasts, and podcasts to
help with teaching English, literacy skills, and academic
content to ELLs. A section for school librarians offers
book lists and other resources geared to serving ELLs in
the library. Downloadable parent tip sheets to encourage
a love of reading at home are available in 11 languages.
www.colorincolorado.org
Interesting Things for ESL Students
GRADE LEVEL: 5­12
TYPE: Interactive
games, learning tools
English Language
Learners
Colorín Colorado
GRADE LEVEL: PreK­12
TYPE: Online resources, downloadable PDFs,
multimedia
Colorín Colorado
provides information,
activities, and advice
for educators and
Spanish­speaking
families of English
language learners
(ELLs). Teachers can
F REE CLA SSROOM
TIPS NEWSLETTER—
NEA’ S WOR KS4M E
4 neatoday Professional: 30 Free Things for You
This web site is chock­
full of interactive
quizzes, word games,
word puzzles,
proverbs, slang
expressions,
anagrams, a random­sentence generator, and other
English language learning activities. Many activities allow
students to listen to correct pronunciation of words,
phrases, minimal pairs—and even tongue­twisters!
Although the site’s primary focus is on ELLs, educators
may find interesting things for all English or language
arts students, such as vocabulary and grammar quizzes
and spelling games.
www.manythings.org
Things for You –
And Then Some!
Health
NEA’s Health Information Network
GRADE LEVEL: K­adult
TYPE: Online lesson plans, brochures
The National Education Association’s Health Information
Network provides health and safety information to
education employees and the students they serve. The
web site includes downloadable brochures on topics
ranging from the flu to cervical cancer to indoor air
quality. Lesson plans on teen sexual health and indoor air
quality are also available.
www.neahin.org
DON ’ T MISS:
The School Crisis Guide: A step­by­step resource for
emergency preparedness.
Tips for Teachers Cards
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Laminated cards
These 6 x 8­inch laminated cards provide ready
information about behaviors that threaten the health
and well­being of students. From American Public
University. Cards are available for these five topics:
(1) Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect; (2) Bullying
Intervention; (3) Teen Depression and Suicide;
(4) ADD/ADHD in the Classroom; (5) Autism.
http://degrees.apu.apus.edu/Tips­for­teachers.html
TIPS FROM EDUCATORS
Browse hundreds of online tips or search for a specific topic at nea.org/works4me.
Once a week, the free Works4Me e­newsletter delivers the best tips of the
bunch to your in­box. Sign up at www.nea.org/signupexpress.
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Language Arts
Reading Materials for the Classroom
GRADE LEVEL: K­5
TYPE: E­books
Reading Rockets
GRADE LEVEL: K­6
TYPE: Online resources, articles
Funded by a grant
from the Department
of Education and
developed by PBS, the
Reading Rockets site
contains a wealth of
reading strategies,
lessons, and activities
designed to help young children learn how to read and
read better. The resources comprise television programs,
articles, and research to assist teachers and other
educators in helping struggling readers build fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension skills.
www.readingrockets.org
Poets.org
GRADE LEVEL: 4­12
TYPE: Tips for teaching poetry
On this site, teachers can find ways to make poetry a
more important aspect of school. Including activities,
poems to teach, and tips for preparation, reading,
writing, and sharing.
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/85
E DVOIC ES:
BL OGGE RS COMMITT ED TO
IM PR OVING P UBL IC E DUCATION
5 neatoday Professional: 30 Free Things for You
Register to get access to 30 free downloadable books as
well as lessons, worksheets, and other resources
designed for use in various reading settings from whole
class to small group to individual work. Some titles are
available in Spanish and French. Many items are for
purchase.
www.readinga­z.com/vocab/index.html
Spelling City
GRADE LEVEL: K­8
TYPE: Online spelling tool
Students can practice
their spelling words at
this site, which allows
teachers to post lists
for easy access. The
site provides visual
and auditory practice
and games as well as
testing options. Says one educator on NEA’s discussion
boards: “I use the testing option when students are
absent on test day for a quick make­up. Print the
worksheets for students to practice writing their weekly
spelling list.”
www.spellingcity.com
Things for You –
And Then Some!
Math
National Library of Virtual
Manipulatives
GRADE LEVEL: PreK­12, Spanish, French, and
Chinese versions available
TYPE: Online manipulatives
This NSF­supported
project features
interactive, web­based
virtual manipulatives
or concept tutorials,
mostly in the form of
Java applets, for
mathematics
instruction. “I’ve used it and I love it,” wrote one teacher in
NEA’s Works4Me e­newsletter. “The best part is—it’s free!
They also offer a CD for stand­alone use, which includes
extra goodies.”
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
DON ’ T MISS:
eNLVM—A companion web site to extend and enhance
the virtual manipulatives library.
TIRED OF THE SAME OLD MEDIA COVERAGE OF EDUCATION?
Then head over to EdVoices, a one­stop destination for those looking for fresh viewpoints on public education.
Covering education policy, education technology, and classroom management, EdVoices.com
features original content from educators and policy makers confronting public
education’s challenges and proposing solutions. www.edvoices.com
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Things for You –
And Then Some!
Access, Analyze, Act: From Economic
Theory to Financial Reality
GRADE LEVEL: 9­12
TYPE: Online lesson plans with related video and
audio materials
This web site lets
students dive deeper
into today’s economy
to see how it affects
their lives. It includes
case studies, lesson
plans, media resources
(including videos with
young people talking about their experiences), glossary,
and widgets. From PBS Teachers.
www.pbs.org/teachers/access­analyze­act­economy
HIDDEN GEM:
Sense & Dollars is an interactive site designed to give
kids an overview of earning, spending, saving, and
investing money.
Professional
Development
NEA Academy: On Demand Video
Series
GRADE LEVEL: PreK­12
TYPE: Videos, online presentations
Top scholars share their insight, knowledge, and best
practices on a variety of public education issues through
online presentations and videos. Presentations are
designed to stimulate thinking and conversation on
significant topics in education such as response to
6 neatoday Professional: 30 Free Things for You
WRITE A
GRANT
Getting a grant
doesn’t require a
Ph.D. A solid idea
and a simple plan
can go a long way.
BY C YNTHIA MCCABE
E
ducators with a plan to
improve their students’
learning environment
often have to turn to grants.
But just the thought of writ­
ing the requisite proposal
sends many diving for the
extra­strength aspirin.
We talked to those who are well­versed in the grant game to get their suggestions for crafting the ideal pitch.
“Writing a grant is like riding a bike. Once you learn how, you’ll never forget,” says the NEA Foundation’s
Jesse Graytock. He reviews the hundreds of grant applications sent each year to the Foundation, which awarded
roughly $750,000 this year through more than 80 separate grants. Here are tips for catching his attention, or the
notice of government agencies, private groups, corporations, and others willing to open their wallets and help.
Keep the writing simple
It’s a grant proposal, not a doctoral thesis. This is where many folks get hung up. “A grant should not sound
like chemistry,” says Graytock. While it’s important to follow the grantee’s instructions, few will want a 25­page
dissertation. Keeping it simple starts with the abstract or objective. For the grants that he reviews, Graytock
wants a two­ or three­sentence summary of the project. Then lay out the specifics of the program in bullet
points. Don’t try to compete with J.K. Rowling on page count.
Illustration: David Clark
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intervention; teacher quality; teacher preparation;
national board certification; English language learners;
and closing the achievement gaps. Copies of transcripts,
PowerPoint presentations, and additional resources are
available to download.
http://www.neaacademy.org/ondemand.html
Works4Me E­newsletter and
Teaching Tips Library
GRADE LEVEL: PreK­12
TYPE: Tips by teachers, for teachers
Covering everything
from the best way to
clean a whiteboard
to dealing with
disruptive students,
this searchable library
of teacher­to­teacher
advice is available
online, via a weekly e­newsletter, and on a discussion board.
www.nea.org/works4me
DON ’ T FORGET:
Be sure to add your own expertise by sharing your tips
on the Works4Me discussion board.
School Tube
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Videos
Educators skeptical of using the anything­goes YouTube
in the classroom can turn to SchoolTube for video viewing
and sharing—every one of its 35,000 videos are screened
by a classroom teacher before going live. Content is free,
but registration is required. Students can also share their
videos on the site. Once they upload a video, educators
can log in, review it, and approve it for publishing.
www.schooltube.com
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Things for You –
And Then Some!
Ditto with the organization
When it comes to organizing the narrative part of your application, the authors of Getting the Grant: How
Educators Can Write Winning Proposals and Manage Successful Projects encourage thinking like the reviewer who
will be examining it. Make that person’s job easier by matching your headings and subheadings directly with the
major and minor selection criteria laid out in the request for proposals. “When the reviewers can quickly and
efficiently find the narrative associated with each of the selection criteria, they can happily proceed,” write the
authors.
Junk the jargon
Impose a ban on “eduspeak” and unfamiliar acronyms. Nowhere in your grant should the following sentence
appear: “Using a group of school­age learners, we will endeavor to capitalize on NCLB­specific requirements and
GRA NTS F OR EDUCATORS
Turning Cache into Cash
Typing “education grants” into Google yields well over a million hits. But never fear. We’ve compiled some
helpful sites for education grants or tips on landing them.
NEA Foundation Grants —Every year, the NEA gives teachers thousands of dollars through grants. Get
deadlines and sample grant packages here. There’s even a video on how to fill out grant applications.
E­Grants — The feds’ site requires registration, but it’s free and simple (we promise), and it includes a helpful,
personalized system for tracking your application package.
Fundsnet Services Online — A vast collection of links to public and
corporate grants for education programs.
Learning Is for Everyone Grants and Funding — A roundup of grants
from such groups as Nickelodeon television network, Best Buy, and the
U.S. Senate.
Grants and Grant Writing —This site provides an overview of the grant­
writing process and links to many grant opportunities.
SchoolGrants — This site provides grant­writing tips and an index of available grants. Educators can also
subscribe to a bimonthly newsletter for free. Biweekly newsletters come with a subscription cost.
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Science Teaching Case Studies
shift the paradigm for meeting tangible literary and technological benchmarks.”
Reviewers will be much happier to read: “We want to provide one class of third­
graders the equipment needed to produce a book report podcast.”
GRADE LEVEL: K­8
TYPE: Professional development videos
Watch free videos for
K­8 science teachers—
25 half­hour video
programs and
guides—on your
computer. These case
studies take science
education reform to a
personal level, where individuals struggle to make
changes that matter. Follow Donna, Mike, Audrey, and
other science teachers as they work to improve one
aspect of their teaching. Each case follows a single
teacher over the course of a year and is divided into three
modules: the teacher’s background and the problem he
or she chooses to address, the chosen approach and
implementation, and the outcome with assessment by
the teacher and his or her advisor.
www.learner.org/resources/series21.html
Science
NASA for Educators
GRADE LEVEL: K­16
TYPE: Photos, lesson plans, videos, posters
Fortunately for science teachers, NASA has been develop­
ing educational materials for years and offers a range of
resources, searchable by subject and grade level.
www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
Things for You –
And Then Some!
Identify measurable points and objectives
Follow up that straightforward statement with specific, measurable
goals. Action phrases like “students will demonstrate,” or “they will
complete a three­segment project” are a must. Nebulous terms like
“students will learn,” or “my class will come to understand,” aren’t
specific enough when trying to explain how the project will benefit them.
Bring in other disciplines, technology
It’s a fact of life these days that no classroom is an island. Science teachers have to
work on reading skills, and social studies teachers have to add lessons on angles while teaching about the pyra­
mids at Giza. Grantees are often looking for this type of cross­pollination, too, to get more bang for their buck.
Pulling in one or two other subjects will bolster your proposal.
Also, analyze your activity and determine whether there is a way to strengthen it with the use of electronics or
the development of a related website or podcast. The technological “gee whiz” factor can go a long way with grant
committees.
Ask for help
San Luis, Arizona, math teacher Jesus Arrizon wouldn’t have considered writing a proposal until
his district grants coordinator encouraged him and offered to help him apply for a grant for
his program for high­risk middle school students. Coordinators can also be invaluable
when it comes to carving out the time to tackle a grant proposal. Arrizon
was worried that lack of time would be an issue, but “at the end of [the
first grant process] I said, ‘Okay, I’m not going to let these opportunities
go by,’” he says.
And the help doesn’t have to come from someone who’s on the
district payroll. When Beth Swantz, a fourth­grade teacher in Kalona,
Iowa, was trying for a technology grant recently, she asked her
husband—who is neither a teacher nor a techie—to read it and see if
it made sense to him. Fresh eyes can scan your proposal for embar­
rassing typos or grammatical errors.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Downloadable bookmarks, posters, the online
“Astronomy Picture of the Day” gallery, TV
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programming, and lesson plans. All free, all the time.
DON ’ T MISS:
For real science buffs, don’t forget about NASA’s many
educational programs for students and educators. There
are lots more opportunities than space camp.
The Habitable Planet: A Systems
Approach to Environmental Science
GRADE LEVEL: 9­16
TYPE: Multimedia online course
From Annenberg
Media, the Habitable
Planet web site offers
online materials to
enrich science
education, including
textbook, videos,
interactive labs,
visuals, a professional development guide, and a
glossary. The American Association for the Advancement
of Science (AAAS) and Science magazine have awarded
this site its SPORE prize, the science prize for online
resources in education.
www.learner.org/resources/series209.html
HIDDEN GEM:
Annenberg offers other teaching modules that cover
topics from the brain to methods of teaching science in
high school.
SHA RE YOUR
OWN HIDDEN
GE M S
9 neatoday Professional: 30 Free Things for You
Suzie Swartzendruber, Beth Swantz, and Phyllis Casper have uncanny
success when it comes to earning grant money.
MARK TADE/GAZETTE COMMUNICATIONS
Beyond Candy Bars
and Pizza Kits
Teachers from tiny Kalona
Elementary aren’t afraid
to hunt down big money.
W
hat is it about the
tiny school of 250
students perched
in rural Kalona, Iowa
(population 2,293), that
makes people want to give
it so much money? In just
four years, teachers at
Kalona Elementary
snagged more than $1
million in grants.
Media specialists Beth
Swantz and Phyllis Casper
got a $25,000 grant from
the state and a $5,000 grant
from the NEA Foundation
to teach students oral
history skills through
podcasting. Gym teacher
Jackie Bailey and guidance
counselor Nora Kehoe
earned $10,000 from the
state for a program to get
students eating a “mystery
vegetable or fruit” every
Friday and to outfit every
student with custom­fitted
bike helmets. Colleagues
Edye Freeman, a foreign
language teacher, and Suzie
Swartzendruber, a Title I
reading and math and ESL
teacher, landed the biggest
fish of all: $885,000 of
federal grant money for
two three­year programs in
Chinese and Arabic.“It’s very,
very unusual,” acknowledges
Swantz, who is proud of the
staff’s prowess.
It starts with educators’
desire to innovate, to stretch
the limits of required
curriculum even if it means
doing the legwork to fund
the extras. “Teachers like
me are saying, ‘What else
can I do because I’m tired
of all the textbook
rigamarole,’” Swantz says.
She came up with a plan to
get money for iPods and
microphones for her
students to record
interviews that would
ultimately become oral
history podcasts.
Things for You –
And Then Some!
A supportive
administration is crucial,
Kalona’s teachers say.
Their former principal
encouraged those who
were interested to seek
grant opportunities to
enhance required lessons,
Swantz says. Colleagues
can provide invaluable
feedback, too, says
Swartzendruber. “If I have
an idea and take it to my
administrators, if it sounds
lousy, they’ll let me know.”
Going for a grant isn’t
limited to teachers of core
subjects, says Bailey. “I
know that there are quite a
number of PE grants. My
problem is just finding the
time to sit down and write
it.” When she feels unsure,
Bailey taps her fellow
teachers who have more
experience with grants. “We
have such a community
spirit here that if someone
finds out about a grant,
they share the information.”
ARE YOU GOOD AT FINDING FREE THINGS?
Share your discoveries with your peers on NEA.org’s Free Stuff discussion board.
nea.org/freeresources
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(humanities), and research projects.
www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash
IT Is All About Me
GRADE LEVEL: 5­12
TYPE: Poster
HIDDEN GEM:
Designed for Computer Science Education Week in
December, these downloadable posters can be used all
year long to promote careers in computer science and
computing.
http://www.csedweek.org/resources/posters­and­
brochures/
HIDDEN GEM:
Want to introduce middle­schoolers to the world of
computing? Download the “Discovering IT” program­in­
a­box from the National Center for Women & Information
Technology. Registration is required, but the files are free.
Social Studies/
Geography/History
Newseum World Newspapers
The Newseum site also offers a current events trivia
game for students.
Printable Maps of the World
GRADE LEVEL: 4­12
TYPE: Printable maps
An easy place to print out blank maps of the Americas,
Europe, Australia, and Africa for students of geography.
http://printablemaps.net
Develop Your Own U.S. Map
GRADE LEVEL: 4­12
TYPE: Interactive, customizable maps
Click on the Map
Maker at this site to
create customized U.S.
maps by selecting
features to add to
them — such as cities
and counties, roads
and rivers, population
and congressional districts, crops, and livestock. Part of
the National Atlas of the United States of America, this
site is supported by the U.S. Department of the Interior
and several other government agencies.
http://nationalatlas.gov/index.html
GRADE LEVEL: 5­12
TYPE: PDFs of newspaper front pages
Find front pages from 742 newspapers in the U.S. and 79
other countries. Just put your mouse on any city to bring
up the front page of the local newspaper. Double click
and the page gets larger. Pages are updated daily and
serve as a great resource for language arts, social studies
YOU DIDN’T THINK
WE ’ D STOP AT 30,
DID YOU?
Things for You –
And Then Some!
United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum
GRADE LEVEL: 5­12
TYPE: Online lesson plans, workshop, professional
development opportunities
This online workshop
includes video
segments (from a
workshop presented
in Baltimore,
Maryland), which
include historical and
artifact photographs,
text, and links to related sites within the Museum’s web
site. Also includes lessons, resources, and opportunities
for teachers.
www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/workshop
Every month, NEA.org features 10 Free Things for
Educators. Visit nea.org/freethings and keep the freebies
coming all year long.
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Special Education
SEN Teacher
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Printable materials for multiple subjects
Maintained by a
former educator, this
web site provides
resources for special
education teachers, for
example, printables for
math, English, and
general items, such as
certificates, labels, and photo cards.
General ed teachers and students also can use these
resources. Beginning readers will enjoy AlphaBlocks—
engaging animated phonics and word­building games,
some interactive. K­12 teachers can generate math
worksheets for students of all ages with Maths
Printables. Elementary teachers can customize a
worksheet of clocks to tell time (by hours, quarters,
mixed). Middle school and high school teachers can
download patterns for cutting out and constructing
shapes (from cubes to hexagonal prisms). All materials
can be viewed and downloaded in English, Spanish,
Portuguese, Chinese, German, Japanese, Korean, French,
or Italian.
www.senteacher.org
FREE
Puzzle of Autism
GRADE LEVEL: K­12
TYPE: Downloadable book in PDF format
“The Puzzle of Autism”
is a succinct
informational guide
for all education
personnel who work
with students with
Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD). The
guide explains common autistic characteristics and
suggests effective classroom strategies for improving the
communication, sensory, social, and behavioral skills of
children who have autism. Created by the NEA in
collaboration with the Autism Society of America, the
American Speech­Language­Hearing Association, and
the National Association of School Psychologists.
www.nea.org/home/18459.htm
Things for You –
And Then Some!
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Educating students is a challenging and
rewarding job — and we’re here to help.
NEA Educator Resources provides
educators with useful ideas, materials,
resources, and suggestions designed to
make the school day more productive
and engaging.
http://www.facebook.com/EducatorResources
DON ’ T MISS:
The companion 60­minute online video workshop to
the Puzzle of Autism. Two NEA IDEA Cadres members
explore the common features of ASD and offer
techniques and strategies that work.
NEED ANOTHER COPY OF THIS E-BOOK?
Download it at www.nea.org/30freethings
11 neatoday Professional: 30 Free Things for You
www.nea.org/30freethings