April is National Financial Literacy Month—a topic sure to get extra attention in classrooms this year. When teaching financial literacy, what could be more appropriate than free resources to get you started? Read on!

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Pardon the pun, but you’ll find a wealth of classroom-tested economics lessons and materials for students K-12 at EconEdLink, part of the Verizon Foundation Thinkfinity site. Teach the difference between wants and needs, explain the basics of money and banks, and much more. It’s all here, and it’s all free!

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Tune in to the new episodes of Biz Kid$, a public television show that teaches students about money and business. This Emmy Award-winning show airs on most public TV stations around the country. For local show times–and to download the free curriculum–visit bizkids.com.

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And as for your own financial literacy, what could be more beneficial than pursuing an advanced degree? Full Sail University offers an online master’s degree in Education Media & Design–plus scholarships worth up to $12,000. Scholarship opportunities are available through May 3, 2010, so apply today. Click here now to learn more!

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More freebies, contests, and timesaving resources to come soon!

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I wish we had room on our blog to feature the Sweet 16 of freebies, contests, and other goodies, but it looks like instead we’ll have to go with the Final Four. Keep reading our blog, though; there’s more good stuff to come!

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As the weather warms, now’s the time to teach students the importance of sun safety. Students in grades K-8 are invited to enter the the 2010 SunWise with SHADE poster contest. Get all the details at www.shadefoundation.org. Hurry, contest entries are due April 7, 2010!

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Get a big dose of springtime cheer with Jan Brett’s The Easter Egg Sweepstakes! You’ll have a chance to win a one-of-a-kind Easter egg designed and hand-painted by Jan Brett or a set of three of Jan’s books. Entries must be postmarked by April 8, 2010. For more information, click here!

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Drop Everything and Read Day is Monday, April 12. Get everything you need to prepare—activities, flyers, certificates, reproducibles, and much more—at www.dropeverythingandread.com. Plus enter to win $250 for your library. Twenty-five libraries will win!

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Have you seen the new materials available from the U.S. Mint? You’ll find free games, gadgets, web quests, lesson plans, and more. Cash in on these great resources and others at www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers.

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And speaking of the Final Four, post a comment on our blog by Monday, March 29, 2010—I’ll send one winner four of my favorite books that I’ve received this week. (Who knows? If I get carried away, it might even be the Elite Eight.) Post your comment today!

PS: I just have to sneak in one more item: if you haven’t yet entered the Got 2B Safe! contest from Honeywell, do so today! You could win a $10,000 classroom makeover. Click here now; the contest ends Friday, March 26, 2010!

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Has spring sprung in your area? Or are you still thawing out from winter? Either way, fun freebies and cool contests like these will be sure to invigorate your classroom!

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The Weekly Reader Student Publishing Contest is underway! Enter your students’ nonfiction writing for a chance to win $500 and a trip to Washington, DC. The contest is open to students in grades 3 and up. Get all of the details at www.weeklyreader.com/teachers/aep. Hurry, entries must be postmarked by March 19, 2010.

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How do you teach your students to be safe? Share your ideas and enter the Got2BSafe! contest from Honeywell. You could win a $10,000 classroom makeover! Hurry, the contest ends March 26, 2010. Visit www.Got2BSafe.com for information. While you’re there, download an educational safety kit and learn about past winners, too.

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Give your students an opportunity to show their support for wildlife through the Endangered Species Day Art contest. To enter, students in grades K and up create artwork showing a native North American endangered species. The winner will receive a trophy and a trip to Washington, DC. Visit www.stopextinction.org/esd/194-esd-art.html for all of the details. Submissions are due March 26, 2010.

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Celebrate spring—and help a great cause—with the St. Jude Trike-a-Thon program. This free, week-long curriculum for preschoolers teaches riding toy safety. After completing the program, students show off their safety skills and raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. To learn more, visit www.stjude.com/trike.

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Here’s another way to celebrate spring: Post a comment on our blog for a chance to WIN a prize pack of free teacher resources. Submit your comment by Monday, March 22, 2010, to be eligible. Good luck! (Update: Congratulations to Sherry Harrington, who was our winner! Thanks to everyone who posted comments on our blog. Keep reading for more chances to win!)

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Motivate your literature lovers with fun freebies and a special contest—plus scroll down to find out how to win an assortment of new children’s books for your classroom. Ready, set, read!

March 20 is the first day of spring—and even better, it’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day! To plan your celebration of this perennial favorite, click here now to download free activities, worksheets, patterns, and much more.

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Jeff Kinney’s popular series Diary of a Wimpy Kid is about to become a movie. Win a special advance screening of the movie at your school with the author and the film’s cast. Plus 50 runners-up will win a complete set of the Wimpy Kid books. Hurry, this sweepstakes ends March 10, 2010. Enter today!

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Here’s something new from the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! program: the R.E.D. Zone, a new online portal for teachers and parents that stresses the importance of reading daily. Join the challenge to read for 20 minutes every day and get free activities, print reading-readiness worksheets and coloring pages, and more!

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What book did you read to your students today? Post a comment on our blog for a chance to WIN a box of new children’s books. Comments posted by Monday, March 15, 2010, will be eligible for the drawing. Good luck! (Update: Congratulations to Laura Johnson, who won the box of books. Keep watching for more chances to WIN!)

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