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January 2009, Vol. 1

Student reading in library Dear Teacher,

Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday this month (observed January 19) by teaching your students about Dr. King's role in the civil rights movement. From his "I Have a Dream" speech to fun coloring pages, we have the resources you need to discuss this great leader.

Inauguration Day is January 20! Learn about soon-to-be President Barack Obama by reading a short biography and create an inauguration "little book." Then encourage your students to write a letter to the President.

The Chinese New Year falls on January 26 this year. Enjoy Chinese traditions like making paper, building a dragon puppet, and practicing feng shui.

January is National Book Month. Inspire your students to appreciate good literature, with our guides to new and classic books for elementary, intermediate, and secondary students.

Portfolios are an excellent way for teachers to gauge students' progress in the classroom. They can feature collections of student work or act as a demonstration of subject mastery.

Happy New Year!
The Editors of TeacherVision.com

ThemesFEATURED THEMES

Martin Luther King Day
Commemorate Dr. King's legacy with these printables and lessons.
MLK Printables Slideshow (K-3)
Martin Luther King Jr Coloring Page
Martin Luther King Jr Printable Book (K-3)
I Have a Dream
Martin Luther King Jr Printable Book (4-8)
Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights Leader
Martin Luther King Jr Wordsearch
Death of Dr. King: LBJ's Proclamation
Martin Luther King, Jr. Receives the Nobel Peace Prize
Coloring Book of Prominent African-Americans
My Book About Martin Luther King Jr.
"I Have a Dream" Little Book
MLK Printables Slideshow (4-8)
Happy Birthday to MLK
More Martin Luther King Jr Resources

President-Elect Barack Obama
Study Barack Obama, the history of inaugurations, and the U.S. Presidency.
Biography of Barack Obama
Educator's Guide to Barack Obama: Son of Promise,
Child of Hope

Inauguration Day: Facts and Fun Activities
If I Were the President
Write a Letter to the President
Visit the White House via the Internet
Inaugural Poetry
The First Inauguration Little Book
History of Presidential Inaugurations
Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
John Fitzgerald Kennedy's Inaugural Address
More Resources on Inauguration Day

Chinese New Year
Learn how the Chinese celebrate the New Year (Jan. 26), with these resources.
Chinese New Year Printable Book (K-5)
Chinese New Year Dragon Puppet
Sun Nin, the Chinese New Year
Chinese Inventions Word Search
Paper Making
Chinese Opera
Chinese Percussion Music
Chinese New Year Picture
The Art of Feng Shui
The Chinese Calendar
All About the Chinese New Year
Favorite Chinese New Year Printables Slideshow
Margaret's Chinese New Year
Chinese Numbers
More Chinese New Year Resources

Literature
Read the newest releases and the classics in your classroom, with help from these discussion guides.
Most Popular Literature Guides for Intermediate
Students

Hatchet & Dogsong Teaching Guides
Animal Farm
The Kite Runner Study Guide
A Reader's Guide for A Certain Slant of Light
Number the Stars
The Keeping Quilt
Even Firefighters Hug Their Moms
Much Ado About Nothing
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal
Lowthar's Blade Teacher's Guide
Grossology
The Boy Who Saved Baseball
More Literature Resources

Classroom ManagementTEACHING TOOLS

Portfolios
Portfolios provide an excellent means of assessment.br /> Introduction to Portfolios
Portfolios: Types
The Portfolio Process
Designing and Implementing a Portfolio Program
Portfolios: Assessment Strategies
Portfolio Assessment Guide
Math Portfolios
Working Portfolios
Reading Portfolios
Preparing an Art Portfolio
Photographing an Art Portfolio
Portfolio Assessment Chart
Professional Portfolios for Teachers
Organizing a Professional Portfolio
More Portfolio Resources

New Content
  Every month, you can find our latest materials on the New Content page. Check out our new resources today!
Reading Guide for That Book
Woman

Reading Guide for The
Underneath

What Are Noninfectious
Diseases?

How Does Tobacco Affect the
Body?

Keeping an Emergency Plan
After-School Activities
Slideshow

Math Concentration Game
Going on a Winter Scavenger
Hunt

Supervising the Playground
"Skunk" Math Game
More New Content

 

Letter Writing
  January 4-11 is Letter Writing Week.
Letter-Writing Printables &
Activities Slideshow

Letter-Writing Computer
Activity

Independent Letter-Writing
Activities

The Parts of a Letter
First Year Letters Classroom
Activities

Let's Write the Author
Letter to My Favorite Author
Questions About Your Future:
Writing a Personal Letter

More Letter-Writing Lessons & Tips

 

Immigration
 

Ellis Island opened in January of 1892. Teach your students how immigration has changed since then.
Immigration Picture Prompts
The Statue of Liberty's History
Citizenship Test
The House on Mango Street
Homesick: My Own Story
Decorated Bowls
Angel Island: The Ellis Island
of the West

Multi-cultural Statue of Liberty
Immigration Research
More Immigration
Resources


 

Biographies
Learn about famous people – from Charles Schulz to Harriet Tubman.
My Book About Martin Luther
King Jr

An Autobiographical Poem
The Peanuts Gang: Charles
Schulz

Learning through The Duke
The Miracle Worker
Minty: A Story of Young Harriet
Tubman

Jacques-Yves Cousteau
More Biography Resources

Timely Topics
  Letter Writing Week
(January 4-11)

Amelia Earhart Flew Solo
Across Pacific

(January 11, 1935)

Martin Luther King Day
(January 19)

Inauguration Day
(January 20)

National Handwriting Day
(January 23)

Chinese New Year
(January 26)

National Book Month
(January)

National Thank-You Month
(January)

Groundhog Day
(February 2)

National Girls & Women in
Sports Day

(February 4)

Rosa Parks's Birthday
(February 4, 1913)

Hershey's® Chocolate
Founded

(February 9, 1894)

Valentine's Day
(February 14)

Presidents' Day
(February 16)

Mardi Gras
(February 24)

DNA Discovered
(February 28, 1953)

Black History Month
(February)

Library Lovers' Month
(February)

More January Events
More February Events

 

Highlights

President-Elect Obama

Get your students involved in the issues facing the U.S. President-elect with these activities, articles, and lessons. Imagine a day in the life of the new president, read the inaugural addresses from past presidents, teach your class about the Cabinet, and more.

January Events

Find educational resources for every day in January. Fill your January lessons with activities for Letter Writing Week (Jan. 4-11), Martin Luther King Jr Day (Jan. 19), Chinese New Year (Jan. 26), National Puzzle Day (Jan. 29), National Book Month.

After-School Activities

Enrich before- or after-school programs with fun and educational activities. This slideshow features games, arts & crafts, holiday activities, science projects, and more for all ages.

2009 Calendar

Incorporate fun seasonal events and landmark dates, with our 2009 Educators' Calendar. Each day of the year features links to activities related to whatever is being celebrated that day, week, or month, from Martin Luther King Day to Letter Writing Week!

Bulletin Boards

Whether you teach science, reading, art, or social studies, you're sure to find the perfect bulletin board to fit your current theme or topic of discussion.

Theme Library

Our comprehensive Theme Library organizes TeacherVision content by seasonal and academic themes – making it easier for you to offer cross-curricular lessons and appeal to all of your students' needs and interests.

Daily Printables

Add a TeacherVision widget to your blog, personalized homepage (such as iGoogle or Pageflakes), or social networking sites (such as Facebook). Our widgets feature a different fifth-grade language arts printable or fourth-grade math printable for each day of the year.


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