10 FREE Things for April
April brings School Library Media Month, Book Day, Income Taxes, National Environmental Education Week, and Global Youth Service Day - and these 10 free resources to support them.
- Bookshare
This online library has digital books for U.S. students with difficulties reading printed text because of blindness, visual impairment, color blindness, certain learning disabilities, and certain mobility problems. A “free” membership with Bookshare will enable you to download 2 FREE etext readers. From U.S. Department of Education.
- Free Audio Access to Recorded Books
From now until January 25, 2010, any student with a with a certified print disability (such as a visual impairment, learning disability, or other physical disability) in the U.S. can sign up for 12 months of free access to the CV Starr Learning Through Listening® Library of more than 46,000 textbooks and literature, via Internet download. From Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.
- Media Literacy Materials
Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms. Media literacy materials build an understanding of the role of media in society as well as the essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy. From Center for Media Literacy.- Project SMARTArt - Case study and "how-to" program for teaching media literacy skills to K-5 students, with replicable structure, tools, and lesson plans.
- Five Key Questions That Can Change the World: Deconstruction - Downloadable classroom activity guide with 25 lesson plans for K-12 media literacy.
- Media&Values - A magazine, with over 350 articles online.
- MediaLitKit™ - Materials for free and for sale, in English and in Spanish.
- Feed the Pig for Tweens Web Site - Helping Students Make Money-Smart Decisions
This site provides downloadable teaching materials for its financial literacy program for grades 4-6. (Developed with input from the Teacher Advisory Board through the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.) From American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ad Council.
- The Roof Is Growing!
This interactive program includes a lesson plan and workbook pages to engage and educate middle school students (grades 6-8) about green roofs and their environmental benefits. From American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA).
- Resources Page with Tip Sheets on Getting Youth Involved in the Community
On the Web site promoting National & Global Youth Service Day (April 24-26, 2009) are numerous tip sheets with ideas on how to get young people involved in the community. From Youth Service America.
- Develop Your Own U.S. Map
Users create their own U.S. maps by selecting features to add to it - such as cities and counties, roads and rivers, population and congressional districts, crops, and livestock. From U.S. Department of the Interior.
- Presentations ETC
This site offers audio, clip art, font, photo, video, and presentation services. Up to 50 items may be used in any non-commercial, educational project without special permission.. Educational Technology Clearinghouse. From University of South Florida.
- National Gallery of Art Classroom for Teachers and Students
This Web site helps teachers and students connect art and curriculum. Teachers can access lessons and resources by curriculum, topic, or artist. From National Gallery of Art.
- Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Tip
My local video store often has free promotional posters and they just throw out old displays. I ask for the displays right before recycling night. I use the display cartons for book reports and even dioramas. From a fifth grade teacher.
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