Rango Video Writing Prompts

K-2: Your Hopes
Rango brings hope to this town as the sheriff. Hope means to wish for something and believe that it will happen. What do you hope for? Write/draw three things you hope for. Then, share your hopes with the class.

3-5 Classroom Sheriff
Rango is new to town and is given the position of sheriff. A sheriff is in charge of enforcing rules to make sure the towns’ people are safe. Pretend you are the sheriff of your classroom. Create a list of 5 rules you would enforce to make sure your classroom was fun and a good place to learn.

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My Kindergarten Teacher, My Hero

Throughout our entire career as students, we encounter a tremendous amount of teachers. Each one impacts our educational career in some way or another.

Every once in a while one of those teacher leaves a lasting impression. For me, that was my very first teacher: Mrs. Mathers.

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Teaching: What I Didn't Learn in College

I thought college was going to provide me with everything I needed to know on how to be a good teacher. Once I got my first teaching job, I realized that I had very little idea of what it meant to really be a teacher.

There are many things I didn't learn in college but I am not so sure you can. Teaching has to be experienced to be learned, not just read about, discussed and debated. I wish I had been taught that in college.

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Exit Slips: Effective Bell-Ringer Activities

One teaching objective frequently used by administrators and educational evaluators is the old adage “Teach bell-to-bell.” Sometimes, however, this wise advice is easier given than done.

Teachers find themselves with five or even ten vacant minutes at the end of class, and they ask themselves, “What now?” While some may opt to allow students additional “study time” or “early homework time,” such a plan usually goes awry, and students begin chattering, antagonizing one another, and generally become disruptive in the absence of an actual purpose.

A better answer to the “dead time” issue comes in the form of Exit Slips:

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Bully Free Classroom: 10 Tips for Teachers

Anti-bullying activist Jodee Blanco shares her 10-step guide for teachers to create a bully-free classroom today!

What Not to Say
Never say to a bullied child: “Ignore the bully and walk away; they’re just jealous; twenty years from now those bullies will probably be in jail and you’ll be successful; I know how you feel; or be patient.”

What to Say
This is what you should say to your bullied student and do:

Step1: Say, "I don’t know how you feel. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. It must be awful.”

Step 2: Say, “Let’s talk about an action that we can take together today to help solve this problem of bullying that you’re facing.”

Read Bully Free Classroom: 10 Tips for Teachers

Top 12 Presidents to Influence Education

For better or worse, here are the top 12 presidents to impact American education.

12. Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
In 1994, President Clinton signed the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. The Goals 2000 plan was ambitious, setting targets such as the “United States students will be first in the world in mathematics and science achievement.” Although many of the goals set forth in the law have not yet been achieved, some experts feel that Goals 2000 a precursor to President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind program.

11. Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
During the late 19th century, white southerners passed state laws that made literacy a prerequisite for voting. The Harrison administration supported the Blair Education Bill, providing federal aid to teach literacy to blacks living in the south. Although Harrison’s education bill encountered resistance from Congress and never became law, it became clear that education would be an important component of racial equality.

Read Top 12 Presidents to Influence Education

Presidential Video Writing Prompts

Check out these two presidential videos with grade-level appropriate writing prompts! Pick the video and prompt that works best for your students!

3-8: Your Campaign Slogan

Pretend you are running for president. Write a campaign slogan that you could put on a poster. It should include your name and tell people to vote for you. You can use rhyme, alliteration (starting words with the same letter) or a fun theme (American eagles, flags or fireworks for example).

9-12: Judging Presidents

What makes a good president? Brainstorm different characteristics, actions and achievements you think people should use to judge presidents on their time in office. Choose the top three reasons and explain why those are the most important criteria for judging presidential success.

Watch videos and read all the presidential writing prompts

Educating Through Song: Interview w/ a Musical Curriculum Creator

Believing that children love to sing and learn while doing it, Nuala O'Hanlon teamed up with song writer and close friend Kathryn Radloff to create a musical curriculum she now shares with educators around the world.

Together, they write and publish innovative teaching resources which target primary school curriculum through value-based original songs. Their company is called Keystone Creations.

Nuala shares her passion for music and learning in this exclusive TeachHUB interview.

Read Educating Through Song: Interview w/ a Musical Curriculum Creator

Dear Admin, Please Assess My Teaching!

When I think about how schools mentor and "grade" teachers, it always surprises me that we seem to ignore the recognized assessment strategies we use for students. What good is an observation without feedback and follow-up?

My advice to administrators is to think like teachers as they make their rounds from classroom to classroom.

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The "Bad" Teacher Debate: Losing Labels in Education

A recent quote posted on TeachHUB sparked a thoughtful commentary on how labeling teachers as “good” or “bad” doesn’t solves anything or bring us closer to resolutions that help our teachers, our students, or our schools.

Education blogger Steve Moore shares his response to this quote: “Good teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more.” Bob Talbert

Read The "Bad" Teacher Debate: Losing Labels in Education

Lunar Eclipse Video Writing Prompts

K-2: Colors of the Moon
The moon changes color during a lunar eclipse. Imagine that there is a moon for every primary (red, blue and yellow) and secondary (green, orange and purple) color. Draw 6 moons on a page and color each a different color. Label each moon with its color.

3-5: Space Exploration
Imagine that NASA is sending you to the moon to experience a lunar eclipse from that perspective. What do you think it will be like? Describe your educated guess, or hypothesis, of what you would see if you were on the moon as the earth blocks the sun.

Watch lunar eclipse video and read all writing prompts

6 Essential Tech Tools for Science Classrooms

I love to find novel ways to incorporate educational technology into my lessons and my classroom.

If you have a tight budget and need to outfit a Science classroom, here is what my students and I consider the six most important pieces of technology for every Science classroom to have.

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Egypt Protest Teaching Resources

I’m sure many of you have spent some time talking with students about the ongoing crisis in Egypt. There are so many different directions you can go with the topic – political, environmental, historical, diplomatic – and so many nuances to the story.

Here is a list of useful resources for teachers to bring the topic of the clashing in Cairo to the classroom.

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12 Reasons I Love Teaching

This year, teaching is my valentine. It's the perfect time for us to recognize (and remind ourselves) why we absolutely love what we do.

Here are my Top 12 Reasons I Love Teaching:

1. To share my passion for reading, writing and learning
2. My students constantly surprise me

3. My acting career never took off (just kidding)....

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Empowering Teachers & Quitting the Blame Game

With all the talk these days about teacher accountability, teacher evaluation, and teacher effectiveness, it seems that teachers are finally getting recognized as central to the process of education. It's not a minute too soon.

Now, our challenge is going to be channeling all this attention into positive outcomes for our profession and for our students.

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6 Steps to Sustained Student Learning

Most teachers strive to organize their teaching strategies and learning experiences to maximize both their own teaching styles and the students’ learning styles while fulfilling the expectations of their school and community.

One approach for organizing teaching and learning that has worked well for teachers is the Gallavan six-step SOCIAL Model.

Here is how it works:

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Darth Vader Super Bowl Commercial Writing Prompts

K-2: Movie Villains
The child is dressed in a Darth Vader costume. Darth Vader is the villain character in the Star Wars movies. Can you think of another movie villain? Draw a picture of that villain or create a villain of your own to draw.

6-8: Advertising for Education
All commercials are used to persuade people to like and want a product. Pretend that you have been tasked to make a commercial for “succeeding in school.” How would you get the attention of your audience and persuade them to like school and try their hardest?

Watch video & find all Darth Vader Super Bowl Commercial Writing Prompts

Top 12 Incredibly Inspiring Real Life Teachers

Real life teachers offer inspiration to students every day. Great teachers give students confidence and knowledge that goes beyond simple education.

Here is a list of real-life teachers, some famous and some not, that stand out for their contributions to their students and the world.

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Super Bowl Special Interview

Cincinnati high school football coach Steve Specht has been with his alma mater St. Xavier for the last 17 years. After a winning season that brought them all the way to the Ohio regionals, Specht still strives to teach his players to become good men.

Coach Specht, considered one of the best all-around coaches in the country, was kind enough to share his insights what makes a good coach and a great teacher.

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Super Bowl Curriculum Connections

Hope these Super Bowl-themed lessons for Language Arts, Science, Math and Social Studies are helpful!

Language Arts
Writing Prompts - Who will win the Super Bowl on Sunday? Remember to provide specific reasons to support your pick.

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How Teaching Separates Humans from Animals

What makes humans different? Being teachers and loving it!

In a recent panel discussion I attended, Alan Alda and the producer's of the PBS documentary, “The Human Spark” tackled the question of what makes us different from the other animals. Each speaker made a powerful case for their response, and many fell into the theme of cooperation. My favorite answer, however, came from the hilarious Alda.

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Awesome Facebook Apps for Educators

While you may see Facebook as the enemy during your computer lab time, it doesn't have to be. Facebook can actually help students learn if you tap into the more than 200 Facebook applications designed to educate.

Here are some of the popular Facebook applications used inside and outside the classroom to help students learn:

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February Recommended Lessons

Here are share some of the free worksheets, lesson ideas and video writing prompts perfect for February.

February Recommended Lessons:

Black History Lesson Ideas beyond MLK & Civil Rights

Groundhog Day Video Writing Prompts

Snow & Winter Lesson Ideas

Math: Super Bowl Measurements
Make your lesson on measurements SUPER with this activity touchdown.

Social Studies: State of the Union Presidential Review
Bringing today's news into the classroom helps make the study of government real for my students.

Language Arts: Exploring Themes with Shaun White
Shaun White's themed room design for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will inspire your students' creative exploration of theme.

Science: Turtle Traits Activity
Work on observation, artistry and comparisons with this activity based on the evolution of the modern turtle.

While you're on TeachHUB.com, be sure to check out the other valuable resources including free printable lessons, video writing prompts, daily education-related articles and more.