What can a penny do? Teachers and students all over the country are finding out as they collect pennies as part of the Pennies for the Planet program from Audubon. Get your class involved! Click here now to download free materials or request a free kit. (Plus read on to find a special environmentally oriented prize just for readers of this blog!)

This year’s funds go to help preserve three important habitats:

Sabal Palm Sanctuary, located near Brownsville, Texas. Nonnative plants have invaded Sabal Palm Forest, driving out native plants such as the Sabal Palm and animals such as ocelots, jaguarundis, and green jays. Many of these creatures are found in few places in the world!
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Lea-Hutaff Island, located on the North Carolina coast. This is one of the few undisturbed barrier islands in North Carolina. On the island, you’d find loggerhead turtles, American oystercatchers, and least terns, which thrive on the open, sandy beaches with few predators or vegetation. Safe places to nest are critical to their survival.

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Arctic Ocean, including the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Scientists still have much to learn about the wildlife habitats in the Arctic Ocean. How do polar bears, ice seals, and seabirds survive the brutal conditions?

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As a thank you for participating, students get Pennies for the Planet temporary tattoos, a listing on the online honor roll, and have a chance to get special incentives like wristband bracelets or a classroom resource kit. Plus the group that raises the most money receives a rocking environmental celebration at their school!

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As Jennifer Costello, a teacher at Columbus Elementary in Lodi, New Jersey, said, “Our school has been going green for the past four years. This is a wonderful program to help empower students of all ages to help make a change in the planet.” Jennifer’s school raised $500. Your donation doesn’t have to be big–remember, every penny counts!

Planning to get involved in this exciting campaign? Tell us! Submit a comment to our blog by midnight ET on Monday, February 6, 2012. One lucky teacher will win a set of six books from the Go Green series from Black Rabbit Books. These informative books cover water, food, recycling, and much more. Submit your comment—and request your free kit from Audubon—today. This is a project that your students will remember!

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Now’s the time to get ready for the many literacy-related events coming up: Read Across America Day (March 2), National Poetry Month (April), Drop Everything and Read Day (April 12), and Children’s Book Week (May 7–13) will be here before you know it! And what better way to prepare than to sign up for freebies and contests?

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Start off the celebrations with a new children’s book to read with your students. Just released this week, My Heart Will Not Sit Down by Mara Rockliff is set during the Great Depression. Inspired by true events, this book shares the story of a young girl in the African country of Cameroon who hears about children going hungry in New York City. More than anything, she wants to help. But how? To win a copy of the book, submit a comment to our blog by midnight ET on Monday, January 23, 2012, and let us know which of the literacy freebies and contests listed here are your favorites. One lucky teacher will win our prize! (Update: congratulations to Natalie, who won our prize!)

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Celebrate Read Across America Day with The Cat in the Hat! One lucky teacher will win six The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! DVDs and a set of ten books from The Cat in the Hat Learning Library. Plus 20 runners-up will win a The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! DVD. The contest is brand new; enter now at www.themailbox.com/ncircle or click here!

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Looking for nonfiction? Enter the Who Was? sweepstakes for a chance to win $600 of nonfiction titles from Penguin Young Readers Group. Each Who Was? book offers a detailed account of the life and times of a famous person, including Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Sacagawea, Albert Einstein, and Barack Obama. To enter, email schoolandlibrary@us.penguingroup.com
and request a FREE poster with an official entry ballot. Good luck!

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Win a visit by Jan Brett to your school—plus runners-up receive Jan Brett books or autographed posters! To enter, “Like” Jan Brett on Facebook. Then click on “Contest” and complete the entry form. Ready to get started? Click here now!

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Name that book and have a chance to win $250 of school supplies! Studentreasures is looking for fun and creative book titles. What would yours be? Enter and you’ll receive a free Studentreasures publishing kit. Then have your students contribute their writing and illustrations; your class’s book will be hardbound for FREE! Sign up at studentreasures.com/win250. Click here!

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Download three free sample books from ETA/Cuisenaire’s WorldScapes series. This series builds literacy skills and content-area knowledge through cross-curricular fiction and nonfiction books. Don’t miss out on the freebies; click here now to get yours!

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Whew! Start clicking to sign up for these freebies and contests. Good luck!

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Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? It’s never too late! To get you started, read on to find a few I’d suggest.

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Let me know which of the resolutions below you’ll be adding to your list. One lucky reader will win my copy of Just As Good: How Larry Doby Changed America’s Game. This beautiful new book from Candlewick Press shares the story of the first African American to hit a home run in the World Series. The book won’t be on sale until January 24, but I’ll send you my advance copy. Since my own resolution (the one I make year after year!) is to procrastinate less, this title will help you get prepared for Black History Month next month! Submit your comment by midnight ET on Monday, January 16, 2012. Good luck! (Update: congratulations to Rita, who was our winner!)

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Resolution #1: If it’s free, check it out!

Free money for your school? Sounds good! Check out the Great American Can Roundup and turn your empty cans into cash. Plus you’ll be teaching the value of recycling and sustainability to your students. Hurry, you must register by January 16, 2012, to participate. One lucky school will win $5,000, and one school in each state will win $1,000. It could be yours! Click here now to sign up!

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Resolution #2: Show students that they can make a difference.

Teach students the value of a penny—and how a bunch of pennies put together will make a difference for our planet! Pennies for the Planet is a free program from Audubon. Students collect pennies that are then used to care for at-risk animals and habitats. You’ll find free activities, information about the habitats, and much more. Click here now and see how to put those pennies to work!

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Resolution #3: Take care of yourself too!

Are your colleagues talking about the Common Core State Standards? Arm yourself with the information you need to keep current. Check out Reading in Style, newly updated to align with the Common Core State Standards and the winner of a 2012 Teachers’ Choice Award. Plus you can get free sample activities! Request yours now at www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/RISsamples/.

Another way to stay on top of things is through a master’s degree. Take the next step and check out the options available from the Fischler School of Education at Nova Southeastern University. You’ll find more than 33 degrees and 80 specializations. Choose from on-campus, distance-learning, and FasTrack courses. Click now to learn more!

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Resolution #4: If you can cut corners, do it!

How many hours have you spent putting together bulletin boards, classroom displays, and learning centers? Check out the Sizzix Eclips Machine from Ellison! You’ll make perfect shapes in customized sizes—exactly what you need, when you need it! Learn more at http://www.ellisoneducation.com/eclips or click here!

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Resolution #5: Have a little more fun!

This one is especially for preschool teachers and parents. Invite a few new characters into your classroom and combine fun with learning! NCircle Entertainment offers award-winning DVDs featuring Sid the Science Kid, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Dino Dan, and other learning-packed favorites. Plus the NCircle website, EntertainmentThatEducates.com, offers dozens of free follow-up activities to extend learning. Click here now!

Don’t forget to share your newest resolutions and enter our contest today!

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Do you have a few eager readers on your holiday shopping list? How about fellow teachers who are eager for fresh ideas and fun programs? Skip the sweaters, neck ties, and fruitcakes. Instead, read on to find fun freebies and special offers that will fit everyone on your list!

Our giveaway this week is extraspecial: three lucky teachers will win a five-book set from the Secret series. These whodunnits have a big-time twist. Written for grades 3 and up, the books feature young detectives Cass and Max-Ernest and are packed with lots of secrets that your students will want to unravel. Submit a comment to our blog today for your chance to WIN! Comments submitted by midnight ET on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, will be included in our drawing. Plus click here to learn more about the Secret series and to check out the suspense-filled website and the mysterious author. (Update: congratulations to our winners, Gail, Rita, and Barb!)

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If your young readers aren’t quite ready for a mystery series, check out the latest resources available from PBS Educational Media. New DVDs featuring Between the Lions episodes follow the cubs as they sing, dance, and teach important early childhood skills. Visit teacher.shop.pbs.org to purchase the new DVDs or visit pbs.org/teachers for free video clips, games, stories, and more. Click here!

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Enhance your career online with University of Phoenix Continuing Teacher Education Courses. Ready to get started? Apply before February 22, 2012, and pay no application fee. To take advantage of this great offer, complete a quick entry form. Click here!

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Here’s a program that your whole school will thank you for! With the Great American Can Roundup, you’ll turn empty cans into cash for your school! Plus you’ll be demonstrating the value of recycling and sustainability to your students. Join the Great American Can Roundup today. Click here to get started now or visit http://www.cancentral.com/RoundUp/ruRegistration.cfm.

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A penny goes a long way—that’s one of the lessons your students will learn with Pennies for the Planet from Audubon! With this free program, students collect pennies to help save important habitats and the animals that live there. And you’ll get lots of free lessons and activities for teaching students about those habitats! Request your materials now and plan to implement the program in the new year. Click here now to learn more!

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Don’t forget, we have three sets of books we’re giving away this week, so submit a comment to enter our drawing!

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Is it really better to give than to receive? It sure is! So this week’s blog post is all about giving you fun freebies, giving your students exciting projects, and giving everyone a chance to win a beautiful new holiday book!

Submit a comment to our blog by midnight ET on Monday, December 12, 2011, and let us know which of these freebies are your favorites. You’ll be entered into a drawing to win my copy of Little Bunny and the Magic Christmas Tree, new from Candlewick Press. This charming book tells the story of a bunny that sometimes is too big and sometimes is too small—but is just the right size for a Christmas Eve adventure! Submit your comment now! (Update: hooray for Rhonda, she won our book!)

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This holiday season, show students how much they can help our planet—simply by collecting pennies! The Pennies for the Planet program from Audubon includes free activities, such as writing prompts, vocabulary practice pages, science activities, and more. Download the materials or request a free printed kit. Click here now!

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Here’s another way to do some good this holiday season: share words of encouragement to keep students in school by submitting a video to Boost Nation. Plus you’ll be entered in a drawing to win $1,000 for your school. Get the details; click here now!

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What would you do with a whole new library of science materials? Fifteen lucky teachers will find out! Workman Publishing is giving away prize packs that include Potato Chip Science, Pop Bottle Science, Potentially Catastrophic Science, and much more! Click here now to enter. Hurry, this drawing ends December 18, 2011!

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For 25 years, The Polar Express has been a treasured holiday classic. Visit www.polarexpress.com for free activities, games, teacher guides, and the “25 Days of The Polar Express” Christmas Countdown Calendar, which includes a new activity, recipe, or game for each day until December 25. Click here now!

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Celebrate throughout December with free holiday activities at Jan Brett’s website, www.janbrett.com! You’ll find plenty of activities that are just right for the season, including a Gingerbread Baby board game; postcards based on The Three Snow Bears; printable animals students can place in a mitten cutout; coloring pages; and much, much more. Plus watch for an exciting new contest to launch in January. Click here now!

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And finally, here’s a little treat you can give yourself: a free curriculum from Special Olympics! Designed for general education classrooms, the curriculum includes age-appropriate activities that promote respect and acceptance of all people. Download yours right now; click here!

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We’d love to send you that holiday book to put in your stocking. Submit a comment to our blog today!

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