 The back-to-school issue of Learning magazine is in the mail! While you’re waiting for your copy, I thought I’d give you a sneak peek at some of the goodies in this issue. There are 150 prizes, 22 contests, and 48 freebies. Wow! Click here now to visit our website to start entering contests and finding freebies before the school year begins! |
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 When does school start in your area? Let us know when your first day is and what’s on your mind for back-to-school. Submit your comment to our blog by midnight EDT on Monday, August 2, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of my favorite children’s books featured in the Learning back-to-school issue: Magnus Maximus, a Marvelous Measurer. Magnus revels in his role as the town’s official measurer as he counts the stinkiest socks and the bristles on his toothbrush. However, a little boy teaches Magnus that the most marvelous things aren’t to be measured at all. This book from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux provides lots of opportunities for cross-curricular lessons. Click here to learn more and to see the book video! |
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 As you’re doing your back-to-school planning, set aside time to check out Thinkfinity. This site from the Verizon Foundation includes thousands of free lesson plans that cover the curriculum. You’ll find interactive games, print-and-use pages, classroom-ready activities, and much more. Click here now to take a tour. Once school starts, you’ll be glad you checked it out! |
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 Here’s another great way to start your school year: sign up for a free e-newsletter from WhisperPhone. WhisperPhone allows students to hear themselves as they read aloud, improving their skills and encouraging them to read with expression. The newsletter includes easy ideas for using WhisperPhone, giveaways, and more. Plus you’ll have a chance to share how you use WhisperPhone in your classroom and win free WhisperPhone products! Make sure you don’t miss out: click here now! |
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 Smokey Bear is having a birthday! What better way to start your school year than by celebrating Smokey’s big day–August 9–in a big way with books, coloring books, DVDs, and more in English and Spanish from the US Forest Service. Visit www.symbols.gov to order these products and others. Mark your calendar! |
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We’ll have lots of other resources to help you get ready for back-to-school. Keep reading!
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| Karen |
PS: If you haven’t heard, we’re hosting a free online workshop on Tuesday, August 3, at 2 p.m. Click here now to register!
My classes begin September 8. I am doing a Wild About Preschool week. I am looking forward to being back with the kids but I am not looking forward to getting up early everyday. LOL.
I am looking forward to getting my new edition of Learning magazine. The great thing about hard copies is that you can look through them at your leisure. One more thing I am looking forward too is the online workshop. It’s perfect timing.
Thanks Karen for the reminder about the Thinkifity site. I love it.
My first workday back is August 12th, and the first student day is August 17th! I feel like it’s right around the corner–BECAUSE IT IS! So what’s on my mind for back-to-school? Getting geared up for a new year, finding time between now and the first workday to go in and file those papers I didn’t file last year, and hopefully resting up as I know how exhausting the first few weeks can be! I also hope to get in some more professional reading before school starts back as I really want to improve my reading comprehension instruction! I so love the Mailbox and The Learning magazines for all you provide for educators–I constantly find new ideas to implement and new ‘freebies’ to use (or try to win) all the time from you all–THANK YOU for helping teachers!
Our first work-day back is Aug. 24th. Students will arrive two days later! My back to school theme is
“Bow,Wow,Wow,You’re in First Grade Now!” (You guessed it…all about dogs/puppies!). My brother adopted “twin” girl dachsies this summer and they were my inspiration! I’m paws-i-tively excited for this year and always,always look forward to getting my Learning Magazine for back-to-school freebies/contests/ideas.
Thanks so much for providing these great services for teachers!