Good teaching is much more than a college degree and a collection of lesson plans. This book is unique in that it focuses on the basic and essential elements of quality teaching. It's designed specifically for teachers (both novice and experienced) looking for down-to-earth practical answers to their questions and concerns. From the first day to assessment and from homework to classroom management - this book has it all!

In Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs and Leaping Frogs, vibrant illustrations and rhyming text offer readers of this book a chance to learn about the wetlands and many of the creatures that make their habitat there. Children will gain an appreciation for the world around us through this fun and interesting topic. Anthony Fredericks will explore the inhabitants of these wetlands from a leaping frog to a zip-zipping dragonfly! Teachers will appreciate the accurate science and great illustrations. Kids will appreciate the humor and cadence of the text, while learning how the wetland creatures interact in their "community." Backmatter includes:Field notes with further information on the animals in this book.A perfect book for:parents and teachers needing homeschool supplies for kindergarten (or any grade!)anyone looking for children's books to help instill an appreciation of our planet!

A child discovers a tide pool and observes all of the varied creatures that make their home there. Also includes "field notes" which provide more facts about tide pool animals.

Tall Tall Tree is a tribute to the last remaining old-growth redwood forests that stand along the northern Californian coast. The perfect forest book for kids, Tall Tall Tree includes accurate scientific information about redwood trees and the habitat they create, making this book important for young readers at home and in the classroom. Tall Tall Tree is the perfect California book for kids eager to learn about the state and its surrounding environment. With its counting format and rhyming text, this book doubles as a counting book for kids and young readers. There's a world teeming with life that very few people ever see. Take a peek at some of the animals that make their home in a Tall Tall Tree-a magnificent coast redwood. Count the animals, one through ten-chipmunks chattering, bats roosting, slugs sliding, and many more. Tony Frederick's playful rhyme makes this a book young children will want to look at and listen to again and again, while early readers will enjoy reading it on their own. The turn of every page reveals a unique perspective on the redwood's many moods, illustrated with Chad Wallace's stunning colors. Enriching STEAM activities complement the content. Come discover and explore this wild and magic world! Parents, teachers, gift givers, and many others will find:backmatter includes further information about redwood trees and the animals that live thereAn explore more section for teachers & parents includes STEAM activities and further learning websitesA book for young readers learning how to count!

Historical Trails of Eastern Pennsylvania takes visitors through Revolutionary War battle sites; past Civil War encampments sites; up and over ancient, coal-rich mountain ranges; through one-of-a-kind history museums; and along back roads filled with quaint covered bridges and barns displaying hex signs. Part guidebook and part odyssey, it is a panoply of you-are-there history, richly textured landscapes, and old tales made new for adventurous travelers. As well as offering deep explorations of eastern Pennsylvania for residents and visitors, this book will delight armchair travelers who enjoy compelling narration. Anthony D. Fredericks has written more than 100 books, including a host of children's books, teacher resource guides, and Desert Dinosaurs (Countryman). He is a longtime resident of PA and a professor of education at York College of Pennsylvania.

On November 19, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln delivered what is arguably the most famous 272 words in the English language - The Gettysburg Address. In 2013, the United States will celebrate the 150th anniversery of that pivotal speech. With this convenient guide, you can energize your middle school or high school social studies curriculum with dynamic "hands-on, minds-on" projects and activities for The Gettysburg Address. You can help your students understand and appreciate this timeless document with a wide range of interactive and "classroom-tested" experiences appropriate for any program and any classroom. Geared towards national social studies standards (e.g. Time, Continuity, and Change) this teacher resource is a perfect addition to any curriculum.

In this book, funny tales and rhymes are presented as readers theatre scripts, specifically written to motivate beginning readers. Readers theatre continues to be popular with teachers and librarians endeavoring to enhance reading fluency. Humorous scripts are particularly in demand. In MORE Tadpole Tales and Other Totally Terrific Treats for Readers Theatre, bestselling author Tony Fredericks presents all-new scripts based on fractured fairy and folk tales. Building on the delightful and wildly humorous stories of his Tadpole Tales and Other Totally Terrific Treats for Readers Theatre, Fredericks offers more than two dozen reproducible, satirical, and downright funny scripts that will reinvigorate and reenergize the elementary language arts curriculum. Specifically targeted at beginning readers, his sidesplitting send-ups and wacky, fractured tales are guaranteed to bring snickers, chuckles, and belly laughs into any classroom, get everyone involved in production-and motivate kids to love reading. Nearly two dozen reproducible readers theatre scripts for primary readers, based on wild and crazy adaptations of popular stories, tales, and legends Scripts for kids to finish Drawings and illustrations An appendix of fairytales, folk tales, rhymes, and other stories A list of titles students can use to create their own readers theatre scripts Resources on readers theatre

Tony Fredericks presents a collection of best loved stories in the popular readers theatre format to integrate with the United States history and language arts curriculum in the upper elementary and middle school grades. This collection of over 20 well-known and not-so-well-known tales will be invaluable to teachers in American schools as they do their usual units of study in American history and literature. Plays focus on entertaining folklore, tall tales, and legends to aid teachers in building fluency skills in their young readers. Included are tips for introducing and using Readers Theatre with students in grades 4-8.

This new title from well-known readers theatre author Tony Fredericks is designed to offer librarians and teachers specific information and detailed guidelines on how to begin (and continue) with readers theatre - specifically how it can be used to promote fluency. Practical information about how to advocate for the use of readers theatre as part of your weekly schedule is featured, as is what to tell your principal about using readers theatre.

Chapters include the theory and practice behind the use of reader's theatre to promote reading fluency and other language arts skills as well as practical advice in integrating readers theatre with the daily language arts instruction schedule, including model schedules to include guided reading, literature circles and other current instructional methodologies. Grades K-8.

This new title from well-known readers theatre author Tony Fredericks is designed to offer librarians and teachers specific information and detailed guidelines on how to begin (and continue) with readers theatre - specifically how it can be used to promote fluency and the five other Reading First principles. Practical information about how to advocate for the use of readers theatre as part of your weekly schedule is featured as is what to tell your principal about using readers theatre.

Chapters include the theory and practice behind the use of readers theatre to promote reading fluency and other language arts skills as well as practical advice in integrating readers theatre with the daily language arts instruction schedule, including model schedules to include guided reading, literature circles and other current instructional methodologies. Featuring lesson plans, model scripts, and information about how to adapt and write scripts for student use, this will be an invaluable tool for teachers beginning or trying to sustain the use of readers theatre in their classroom. Grades K-8.

Teachers are continually looking for materials that will enhance their studies of cultures around the world. With this new book, author, Tony Fredericks and illustrator, Bongamon, present readers theatre scripts based on traditional African folklore. Plays are organized by area and identified by country. Included are tales from Algeria to Zambia and all areas in between. This title contains background information for teachers on each African country included as well as instruction and presentation suggestions. The rationale and role of readers theatre in literacy instruction is discussed and additional resources for extending studies of African folklore are included. Grades 4-8.

These dynamic literature-based activities will help teachers and school librarians energize the entire science curriculum and implement national standards. Fredericks presents hundreds of hands-on, minds-on projects that actively engage students in positive learning experiences. Each of the units offers book summaries, science topic areas, critical thinking questions, classroom resources, reproducible pages, and lots of easy-to-do activities including science experiments for every grade level. Chapters cover: Life Science, Space Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and the Human Body for students in grades K-4. The author also provides practical guidance for teaching science through inquiry, for collaborative ventures with school librarians, for integrating literature across the curriculum, and an up-to-date section of annotated bibliographies of the best in children's science literature. All titles are new to this volume and linked to national science standards. An entire chapter on the advantage of collaboration between the classroom teacher and the school librarian is included. Each individual unit includes a section on one or more collaborative classroom/library projects. An added plus is a section of related Readers Theatre scripts keyed to the science topics and standards. Grades K-4.

Kids love music and rhymes; literacy often begins that way. Singing nursery and other rhymes, pairing the song with books is a proven way to begin reading instruction and it is fun! Primary teachers and their librarians love to play rhyming and singing games often accompanied by hand and body motions. Out of requests from teachers and librarians attending his workshops, Tony Fredericks presents this readers theatre book for young readers, grades 1-2, built on the songs and rhymes that they already love and know. Scripts built around such rhymes and songs as: The Itsy, Bitsy Spider, The Farmer in the Dell, Hush, Little Baby, If You're Happy and You Know It, and I'm a Little Teapot will encourage kids to read the scripts, all the while building reading fluency. As in Fredericks' other books for the beginning reader, this book furnishes presentation suggestions, rationale for using readers theatre, and readability information, as well as ideas for movement and dance. Grades 1-2.

Tony Fredericks presents all-new scripts in this new book of fractured folk- and fairy tales for middle-grade readers theatre. Have you heard about The Boy Who Cried 'Amphibian' or about when Little Red Riding Hood punched that Big, Bad Wolf right in the mouth? Fredericks tells those stories and offers more than 25 additional reproducible, satirical scripts for rip-roaring dramatic reads. These scripts are guaranteed to evoke snickers, chuckles, and belly laughs, get everyone involved in production, and engage all audiences as well. The book also contains guidelines and tips for using readers theatre in the classroom to promote reading fluency and motivate young students to read! Grades 4-8. Long-time successful Teacher Ideas Press author Tony Fredericks presents all-new scripts in this book of fractured folk- and fairy tales middle-grade readers theatre. Have you heard about The Boy Who Cried 'Amphibian' or the story about when Little Red Riding Hood punched that Big, Bad Wolf right in the mouth? Fredericks tells those stories and offers more than 25 additional reproducible, satirical scripts for rip-roaring dramatics. His side-splitting send-ups and wacky fractured folk and fairy tales are guaranteed to bring snickers, chuckles, and belly laughs into the classroom, get everyone involved in production, and engage all audiences as well. The book also contains guidelines and tips for using readers theatre in the classroom to promote reading fluency and motivate young students to read! Grades 4-8.

Fredericks presents hundreds of hands-on, minds-on projects that actively engage students in positive learning experiences. Each of the units offers book summaries, social studies topic areas, critical thinking questions, classroom resources, and lots of easy-to-do activities for every grade level. The author also provides practical guidelines for collaborative ventures with school librarians, tips for integrating literature across the curriculum, lists of relevant web sites useful in social studies curriculum. Everything is linked to the social studies standards. These dynamic literature-based activities will help you energize the entire social studies curriculum and implement national (and state) standards. Fredericks presents hundreds of hands-on, minds-on projects that actively engage students in positive learning experiences. Each of the 62 units offers book summaries, social studies topic areas, critical thinking questions, classroom resources, and lots of easy-to-do activities for every grade level. The author also provides practical guidelines for collaborative ventures with school librarians, tips for integrating literature across the curriculum, lists of relevant web sites useful in social studies education, and an up-to-date section of annotated bibliographies of the best in children's social studies literature. All titles are linked to national social studies standards. A chapter on the need for collaboration between the classroom teacher and the school librarian is included. Each individual unit also includes a section on one or more collaborative classroom/library projects. Grade levels are included. A crossover section points out how social studies literature can also be used to promote other aspects of the elementary curriculum.

Test scores across the country show American students are far more able to read narrative than nonfiction text. Some research speculates this is due to a great lack in the background knowledge of many children. Librarians are beginning to realize that a unique fit for the school librarian is as a provider of background knowledge materials for teachers to use. Teachers are continually looking for an interesting, fun way to input content knowledge to build that background information that will help push up expository reading scores. Nonfiction readers theatre is one way to accomplish this. Professor Fredericks offers 30 short, nonfiction readers theatre plays for the young reader (grades 1-3) on topics ranging from Earth and natural science to community helpers, holidays, and government. All topics are tied to usual curriculum in the primary grades. Reading the plays will expose students to factual, curricular-related information in a fun way, as well as contributing to the student's ability to understand nonfiction text and read fluently. Each play offers an activity or science experiment and a list of further readings and/or references.

Written for children reading at first and second grade levels, this readers theatre book uses Mother Goose rhymes as its basis, making it especially valuable to teachers and librarians working on building fluency skills in their beginning readers. The book offers plays based on well-known rhymes, complete with presentation and instructional follow up suggestions. The author also offers staging diagrams that enable teachers to use each script with entire classrooms of students, and he includes lists of further teaching resources for each play as well. Reading levels are based on accepted readability formulas. Several of the scripts feature simultaneous Spanish translations--a real plus for ELL programs. An introductory chapter discusses the educational value of using readers theatre with young readers and ELL students. Grades 1 and 2.

Focusing on Virginia Woolf's close and inspirational female friendships with the key women in her life, Vanessa Curtis offers a portrait of the writer, looking at both the effect of these relationships on her emotional life and the inspiration that each woman provided for the female protagonists in her fiction. Women inspired and fascinated Woolf until the day she died, evoking not only her loyalty, love and wit, but also anger, envy and insecurity. The author begins by exposing the lesser known details of Woolf's Victorian childhood, spent underneath the suffocating wings of the angels in the house who instilled in her a lifelong battle between creativity and convention. The journey continues with a study of the other women in Woolf's life; her silent sister, Vanessa Bell; enigmatic artist Dora Carrington; complex writer Katherine Mansfield; aristocratic novelist Vita Sackville-West and riotous, militant composer Ethel Smyth. The book takes the reader on a journey through the most important female relationships of Woolf's life, drawing on previously unpublished archives, ultimately revealing a portrait of Virginia Woolf as writer, daughter, sister, lover and friend.

For Dr. Walter Dudley tsunamis are ""not just about devastation and destruction, they are about men, women, and children."" Dr. Dudley's work has expanded our knowledge of these waves and has helped us to better understand and prepare for these unpredictable, yet ever present, dangers. In Tsunami Man young readers are given an inside look at the life of a working scientist who uses his knowledge for the common good and serves as an exciting role model for future scientists. Filled with dramatic photographs and accounts of tsunami survivors, the book also addresses the ""how"" and ""why"" of tsunamis, their impact on human lives, and the ways in which information about these ""killer waves"" is shared throughout the world.

This participatory approach actively engages students in their own American history education. Arranged chronologically, these 24 readers theatre scripts put students in roles of selected historical figures, giving them a you are there perspective on the unfolding of critical milestones, memorable circumstances, and colorful venues that have shaped the American experience. Students can travel with a determined family along the Oregon Trail or to the moon with Neil Armstrong. Other opportunities to make history come alive include scripts having students work alongside Father Junipero Serra at Mission San Juan Capistrano and stand alongside Thomas Jefferson as he drafts the Declaration of Independence. Activity ideas and learning extensions follow each script.

Tap into the budding investigators within youngsters and help them connect to the incredible array of social studies knowledge and resources on the Internet. The 75 lessons in this book guide you and your students in exciting Internet projects that target specific content objectives for specific social studies concepts. Each unit includes activities, questions, and lists of relevant Web sites and related literature. A great way to motivate students, build online technology skills, and increase knowledge.

Natural disasters enthrall with their potency, might, and devastation. Tap into students' inherent awe of storms, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, avalanches, landslides, and tsunamis to open their minds to the wonders and power of the natural world. Using quality children's literature as a springboard to learning, this guide extends the understanding of science concepts through short activities, longer projects, and adventures. This participatory approach keeps the focus on the processes of science and promotes a personal response to learning. Students can use the literature and activities not just to better understand the forces of nature, but to grasp the implications of that potency on the lives of people near and far. Grades 3-6.

Turn kids onto science with these exciting Internet learning adventures. The 88 lessons in this book connect young learners to the incredible array of science knowledge and resources on the Internet. Each unit includes engaging activities and Internet research projects based on specific science concepts, along with discussion questions and lists of relevant Web sites and related literature. Grades K-6.

These dynamic literature-based activities will help you energize the social studies curriculum and implement national (and many of state) standards. Fredericks presents hundreds of hands-on, minds-on projects to stimulate actively and engage students in positive learning. Each of these 33 units offers book summaries, social studies topic areas, critical thinking questions, and dozens of easy-to-do activities for every grade level. The author also gives practical guidelines for integrating literature across the curriculum, lists of web sites useful in social studies classes, and annotated bibliographies of related resources.