Author: Larick

5-minute read
Includes FREE EOY Downloadable Resource



Stephanie Dowlearn
Educational Consultant / Kindergarten Teacher

It’s finally here! (yay! boo!)
Throughout schools nationwide, teachers pass each other in the hall, proclaiming the number of days left this school year. It’s a yearly ritual, especially in elementary schools, where kindergarten teachers are sure to know that magic number! It’s the end of the year, and we all know it, but do you feel fine?

The end of the school year is a difficult time, but keeping your routines in place helps to ease the chaos! Even with Field Day, field trips, performances, ceremonies, and parties, you can keep the peace and still have fun!

Anyone who has ever taught kindergarten knows most of the year is one rough day after another, buried in the trenches until the end of February when like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, our little kindergartners suddenly become independent little beings and the routines that were established months ago keep the classroom running like a well-oiled machine!

It’s not over yet!
This was always my favorite time of the year! Learning and laughter were a daily occurrence until the end of April when suddenly, my sweet little kindergarten family turned into a bunch of bickering pseudo-siblings! It was like they’d forgotten everything we’d learned from our numerous SEL activities! Experienced teachers can attest to this yearly end-of-year transformation, and for those who are new to this, all hope is not lost!

Ideas for a fabulous finish!
A great way to motivate learners and encourage wanted behaviors is a fun incentive! Each year, near the end of April, I introduced our Kindergarten ABC Countdown to Summer, which is similar to the Backwards Bootcamp from The Kindergarten Smorgasboard.

There are tons of End of Year Countdowns on TPT to choose from, but it was the tradition at my school to count the days until summer with a review of the alphabet that many of my students began the year not knowing!

This 26-day countdown celebrated the alphabet with fun activities as we continued to follow our daily schedule and routines. The kids loved coming to school to see what fun was in store, behaviors improved, and joy returned to finish the year!!

When in doubt, bring out the animals!
In my last year in the classroom, I had the great idea to include animals in the ABC Countdown! Along with the countdown theme for the day, we brainstormed all the animals that start with the day’s focus letter. Since I had Classrooms alive, it was easy to refer to animals from our Alive Studios Zoo to learn more about their characteristics and habitats.

Each child created an animal letter craft for the day and wrote about the animal. The pages were then combined to create an adorable animal alphabet book that went home with them on the last day of school. I really wanted the kids to record themselves reading their book, but I’ve learned you just have to let some great ideas go! I also sent each child home with a Letters alive Student Journal to continue learning throughout the summer!

Whew! We can do this!
There are so many great ideas to end the school year, but we all know the trek to the end can be overwhelming, so slow down, take a breath, and as you near the finish line, be sure to have fun and make memories with your little learners!

For some fun theme-day ideas, click here!

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Need more ideas to make your end of the year memorable? Message us!

3-minute read



Tanya Pechnik
Educational Consultant and Former Assistant Principal

Can you believe it’s already the end of March? Most of us have made it past spring break and have the finish line in sight, however, that does not stop educators from constantly being on the lookout for new resources for their classroom. But does the thought of approaching your administrator leave you stressed out and anxious? Well, as a former Assistant Principal I’m here to help! While you may feel that there is no money available at this time of the year, the exact opposite may be true.

Oftentimes school leaders look at their budget towards the end of the school year to determine what is left in their “use it or lose it” funds. This is the money that has been allocated to be spent by the end of the fiscal year (June 30) and will be forfeited if it isn’t. No administrator wants money to go unused! Believe it or not, this may impact next year’s budget in a negative way since it appears that they requested more money than the school actually needs.

So let’s talk about how you can approach your school administrator for funding in the spring:

Research the costs
Before you meet with your school administrator, you should find out how much the resources will cost. If you can, break down the costs into smaller items so that the administration may approve only part of the money. Also, if you can get a written quote from the vendor, this would be very helpful as well.

Explain why the resource is necessary
You should explain why the supplementary curriculum is necessary to increase student achievement. Include student data, if applicable.

Present a plan
Create a plan of how you will implement the resource in your classroom and be sure to think past this school year. If this resource will be used year-to-year it will be more appealing than something that is used once.

Show evidence of its effectiveness
If available, provide evidence of how the resource has helped students in other schools who have used it. Many educational resources will provide research or case studies that demonstrate student success using their product. This research helps increase confidence; and oftentimes is a requirement for certain funding sources.

You know your administrator best. The extent to the amount of detail you need in each of these areas depends on the person reviewing your proposal. However, having each of these components covered will help your administrator understand how the money you are asking for will benefit student growth and learning.

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Need help getting your proposal together? Send us a message below:

7-minute read | 2 videos



Stephanie Dowlearn
Educational Consultant and Kindergarten Teacher

Anyone who knows anything about teaching children to read can tell you something about the Science of Reading. They can share a fact about the years of research dedicated to improving reading instruction or how a quip from state-mandated coursework reminded them of that Educational Psychology class back in college.

No matter what is being said, the Science of Reading is not just a fad or a buzzword of the year; it’s a solid foundation of research that began hundreds of years ago by pioneers in education who knew the importance of understanding how children learn to read, and it is still significant today.

The Pressure to Read is On!
So why do so many teachers feel overwhelmed when the subject of the Science of Reading pops up in conversations? Could it be that many teachers feel the pressure to learn, understand and put into use the body of research sweeping the nation while fitting in the numerous requirements already mandated?

Or, is it that over the course of their career, they have been told phonics is best, only to learn the next year that the whole language approach is better? And don’t forget balanced literacy! One thing is for sure; there are studies to back each method, and they are creating madness in the minds of teachers!

Recognizing SOR for What it is
What can be done to quell the angst? The first step is to understand that the Science of Reading is not a curriculum, a program to implement, or a magic cure for teaching reading. It is a body of research fueled by the desire to understand the best ways to teach reading.

Throughout history, many reading wars have been waged over which technique is best, and the victims are the students left to learn at the victor’s mercy. In today’s classroom, teachers who acknowledge the science behind how humans learn to read and use it to guide their instruction, regardless of the curriculum in place will reap the spoils!

Teachers have a huge weight on their shoulders, and having a strong understanding of the Science of Reading can ease the burden.

Google the Science of Reading, or drop a question into ChatGPT, and you will quickly have an overwhelming amount of information at your fingertips! As an educator, I’m fascinated by the research and would likely devour the content if I had time, but as a teacher, wife, and mom, I need the meat and potatoes version.

I recently watched a great webinar called The Science of Reading Simplified, hosted by Mr. Greg from TKS and Holly Ehle from TRT. They are real classroom teachers who shared easy and effective ways to incorporate SOR aligned activities into daily instruction. It’s FREE, so be sure to check it out!

To break it down, the Science of Reading focuses on five key components: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. These five components are woven together, each dependent on the other to build strong readers.

1. Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness is the more sophisticated relative of phonological awareness. Instead of just the ability to hear, recognize, and play with the sounds in spoken language, a child with good phonemic awareness can hear, recognize, and play with the individual sounds in spoken words.

These individual sounds are called phonemes, and discerning these in spoken word is a step toward becoming a reader. Phonemic awareness implies that all kids are or become aware in their own time, but it is a skill that must be explicitly taught in the classroom.

Rhyming, segmenting, blending, isolating, and manipulating phonemes are excellent activities for developing phonemic awareness in early learners. A few of my favorite resources in the classroom were Reading Rockets, Heggerty, and the Florida Center for Reading Research.

2. Phonics
Phonics is the understanding that symbols or letters represent specific sounds and that those sounds can be combined to form readable words. Phonics is a necessary skill to sound out and blend words so students can read them when they see them.

Children with strong phonics skills can connect the sounds they hear in spoken words to the letters that make them up. This is crucial for decoding and spelling words, as it helps children to make sense of the letters on the page and turn them into words they can understand.

To help build phonics knowledge, teachers can use numerous strategies and engaging activities. Some of my favorite resources for phonics in the classroom were Jack Hartmann, Frog Street, Handwriting Without Tears, and Letters alive!


3. Fluency
Fluency is reading smoothly and accurately, an important predictor of reading comprehension. Children who struggle with fluency may have difficulty understanding what they read because they focus on decoding the words rather than comprehending the text.

To improve fluency, teachers can use repeated readings of familiar texts, choral reading, and other strategies to help children practice reading with expression and accuracy. My kindergartners loved using Epic to listen and read along with the stories.

4. Vocabulary
Vocabulary refers to the words we know, understand, and use to communicate effectively. It is another essential component of reading comprehension. Children with a larger vocabulary are more likely to understand what they read and hear and use more words correctly in their speaking and writing.

To build vocabulary, teachers can use various strategies such as introducing new words through shared reading and read-alouds, providing opportunities for children to use new words in their writing and speaking, and using visual aids to help children learn new words.

It is also important for teachers to provide explicit instruction in word meaning and encourage children to use context clues and ask questions when they encounter unfamiliar words. I introduced new vocabulary with every unit, and my students loved Reading and Writing the Room activities. WordWorld and WordGirl on PBS Kids were favorites to watch during snack time!

Integrating science into literacy activities is another great way to build vocabulary.

Using the Letters alive building sentences feature, I was able to spur many interesting and lively discussions in my classroom! Cross-curricular resources enable students to develop great background knowledge that benefits them as they learn to read!

Watch my teacher friend, Adam, using Letters alive:

5. Comprehension
Comprehension is the ability to draw information from a text and make meaning of it. In the Science of Reading, comprehension is the end goal, not necessarily something focused on until students become skilled at decoding.

The science shows that asking a child to decode and answer questions about the plot, setting, characters, problems, and solutions can can tax an emergent reader. Of course, comprehension is important, and as children grow as readers, teachers can address comprehension skills through read-aloud, class discussions, and audiobooks.

When the difficult decoding layer is removed from the story, reluctant readers are more apt to participate, ultimately building their reading confidence. So take the time to read to your class and ask questions along the way!

Trust the Science
Throughout my 25 years as an educator, I’ve gathered knowledge from many sources, including professors, colleagues, researchers, bloggers, authors, and, most importantly, my students.

Knowing the needs of my students and labeling the components of the Science of Reading has helped me realize I’ve been successfully doing most of these things in my classroom, yet I am always learning! You are too! Embrace the science, use your resources, and put it into practice!

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If you’re looking for fun and easy ways to implement the Science of Reading and to support your curriculum, send us a message below:

5-minute read | 2 videos


Cynthia B. Kaye
CEO | Chief Zoo Keeper of Alive Studios

Is technology an appropriate resource for early learners? Well, it kind of depends. We all know young children sitting by themselves in front of the screen is not ideal, but what if technology was used differently?

What if technology was used to help children collaborate, talk with each other, and stir up their imaginations?

What if there’s a technology that helps teachers facilitate conversation and interaction between their students? I think there can be a wrong way that we use technology with children and a right way.

Are you using technology with your young learners? If so, what kind of technology are you using? Is it a collaborative technology that gets children engaged with each other and the teacher?

Or, is the child more isolated and engaged by themselves? Is the student doing a “stare and peck” activity where he/she glares at a screen and pecks at a keyboard? It doesn’t have to be this way.

The Right Criteria for Tech
Technology in the classroom has become increasingly popular for students of all ages, including early learners between the ages of three and six.

While there are valid concerns about the potential negative effects of using technology for early learners, there are certainly strong arguments that support its use as a highly-positive educational tool… if the right criteria are met.

Play-based learning is essential for young children’s development, and if you can incorporate novel and intentional technology in this play children can learn important skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and social interaction.

With the right type and use of technology, teachers can add a fun and exciting way to learn to their list of teaching strategies. If the technology encourages and facilitates collaboration, interaction, and movement, it can open children’s brains up to a higher level of attention and learning.

Many children in this age group are naturally curious and enjoy exploring new things, and technology can provide them with a wealth of interactive and stimulating educational resources.

For example, the right educational apps, games, and programs can help children learn basic skills such as counting, letter recognition, collaboration, and problem-solving in a way that is both exciting and effective.

Furthermore, supplemental digital resources can be used to enhance and bring to life traditionally static and boring teaching tools, such as flashcards, books, worksheets, or even a classroom rug.

Helping Kids Develop Appropriate Tech Skills
Also, the use of appropriate and effective technology in early childhood education can help children develop important 21st-century skills.

In today’s digital age, it is increasingly important for children to be proficient with technology tools and to be able to navigate the digital world. Using technology in the classroom can help children develop skills such as digital literacy, communication, and working together, which are essential for success in today’s world.

Additionally, technology can also provide children with access to a wealth of resources that might not otherwise be available, such as virtual field trips and online educational videos. For early learners, here are some points to keep in mind for positive use of technology.

Kids need:

● tech that promotes collaboration with other students and the teacher
● interaction with the technology
● hands-on/physical activities
● visual/audio “novel” experiences that increase their excitement and engagement

Technology for Pre-K and Kindergarten
So you might be thinking, what are some technologies that are novel and encourage collaboration?

Osmo
One of these positive technology resources available for early learners is Osmo. Osmo is a mobile application that encourages students to collaborate, create, think critically, and communicate.

The application is coupled with an age-appropriate learning kit including a tablet base, camera reflector, manipulatives, and a teacher’s guide. One of Osmo’s learning tools is “ABC’s”, which offers an interactive and kinesthetic approach to phonics.

Kids can work with Mo the Monster to form letters and make words with squishy, colorful sticks and rings. This type of learning with technology blends traditional learning methods with young children’s natural curiosity about today’s digital devices.

Illumination Station
Another example of an engaging technology tool for Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms is offered by Kaplan Early Learning; It’s the Illumination Station.

The Illumination Station takes your sand and light play to the next level. It engages children’s cognitive, social, and sensory development by transforming a common sand table and projector into a hands-on learning adventure!

Using 3D Augmented Reality, the Illumination Station transfers realistic colors and life-like images onto the sand for a mesmerizing sensory experience that kids love.

Children learn about geography, topography, seasons, animal habitats, and more as they create new worlds and explore interactive environments.

Letters alive
Letters alive is a super-engaging, supplemental early literacy learning kit that uses 3D augmented reality animals to get students excited and motivated to learn. It facilitates social learning through collaborative and novel technology. Teachers lead their students through the Alive Studios Zoo to learn about the 26 animals while building solid foundations for reading success.

Letters alive brings all five components of the Science of Reading to life and is proven by Independent Research to increase engagement, support classroom management, and improve outcomes.

Research on Tech for Early Learners
You might be wondering, what does research say about the use of technology for early learners? Glad you asked.

When Dr. Tamra Ogletree, Professor of Language and Reading at the University of West Georgia, was introduced to a supplemental reading program, Letters alive, from Alive Studios that utilizes 3D Augmented Reality zoo animals, she initiated an Independent Study to determine its efficacy.

Dr. Ogletree discovered that Letters alive can be used to enhance any core curriculum with a multi-modal, collaborative learning experience.

Dr. Ogletree’s study tracked the progress of Pre-Kindergarteners in three classes for 90 days: Class 1 did not have the program, Class 2 had partial components from the program, and Class 3 had the full program. Neither class was given any instruction on how to use the product.

At the end of the study, the students who had full use of Letters alive could identify twice as many letters and four times as many letter sounds as the non-users.

“The teachers who were part of the study were surprised at how students who typically had attention difficulties were consistently engrossed in the program. The students responded to the animals because of the sound and visual stimulation,” Dr. Ogletree said. “Classroom management problems decreased as a result of the students being actively engaged, as well,” Ogletree added.

Yes, the Right Tech IS Appropriate for Early Learners
Technology can be an effective and engaging educational resource in the classroom for early learners between the ages of three and six. It can provide children with a fun and thrilling way to learn, and it can help them develop important problem solving and social skills.

However, it is important to use technology in moderation and find a balance using technology as a supplement to traditional teaching methods.

If you would like more information about collaborative technology from Alive Studios, send us a message below.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal this past May, 93% of the Covid-Relief funds allocated for education remain unspent. As the use-it-or-lose-it clock ticks, states are revitalizing conversations to determine the best and most effective ways to use the money.

Your home state may currently be creating projects with the surplus funds from CRRSA and ARP. If you’re in need of funds, check out your state’s Department of Education website to see what’s available for you. You can also read this summary of Covid-Relief Funds and the guidelines for usage. Do not miss this opportunity to fund the resources that may be vital to your classrooms.

In our home state, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) has funds remaining from the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriations (CRRSA) Act and from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. As a result, DECAL is implementing several projects supporting Georgia’s child care providers, early care and educational workforce, families with young children, and other groups.

Among the projects from GA DECAL, is Georgia’s $5,000 per Classroom Pre-K Grants. These $5,000 one-time Pre-K Classroom Grants are specifically allocated for the purchase of technology, instructional materials, and approved Pre-K curricula, as well as classroom furniture. These grants present an exciting opportunity for Pre-K providers around the state to procure crucial resources that get children in their care confident and ready for kindergarten.

Our Pre-K providers play a vital role in resetting the stage during this post-pandemic era. The new class of students entering into the world of education may have escaped the weight of the Covid impact, but they will still need engaging resources within a joyful learning environment to succeed.

The timeline for the Georgia Pre-K Grants is as follows:

September 2022 – Notification period
October 2022 – Grant funds to be awarded
March 31, 2023 – Deadline for all purchases

As an edtech developer of evidence-based supplemental resources, Alive Studios is pleased to share what we have to offer as purchase options for these grant funds.

Over the last nine years, Alive Studios has equipped thousands of classrooms in the United States and 26 other countries with mind-boggling 3D technology that springs learning to life. We take a brain-based approach to learning by catering to multiple learning modalities for maximized engagement! Our novel method of presenting instruction takes children on a magical journey through the Alive Studios Zoo with 26 animals that come alive using 3D Augmented Reality technology.

Alive Studios’ resources are aligned to:

Case Studies and Independent Research prove that when student engagement increases, learning accelerates and outcomes improve.

Below, we have conveniently answered some common questions:

Are Alive Studios’ resources eligible for Covid funds allocated for technology and/or literacy?
Yes.

Are Alive Studios’ resources aligned to Pre-K standards?
Yes, as well as kindergarten standards.

What areas of study do Alive Studios’ resources cover?
ELA (phonics based), Mathematics, SEL, and STEM for PreK & Kindergarten

Do Alive Studios’ resources require a subscription?
No, they are a one-time purchase.

Do Alive Studios’ resources require the internet for use?
No.

Does Alive Studios have Case Studies and Independent Research proving the success of their resources?
Yes. They can be found on our website.

Does Alive Studios offer staff training for ease of implementation and effectiveness of use?
Yes. We offer onsite and virtual training.

Regardless of your home state, we can put together custom bundles to meet your grant needs. You can discuss a plan with your local Alive Studios Education Sales Consultant.

Stephanie Dowlearn
Educational Consultant and Kindergarten Teacher

It’s almost 6 o’clock on a Monday, and you’ve finally arrived home after enduring a faculty meeting that seemed to last an eternity. The commute home was a nightmare, and now you stare blankly into the pantry, searching for a few ingredients to throw together to prepare something edible for your family. You regret not getting up early to put together that Potato Soup Crockpot Meal that you would have been ready to enjoy right about now. Instead, you stand frozen, listening to the queries of “what’s for dinner” echoing over your shoulder! You’ve made a million decisions throughout the day. Still, this one dinner decision is next to impossible, so you reluctantly grab your old favorites and decide on what has always worked in the past; a box of mac and cheese and some frozen chicken nuggets. It’s not the best, but it’s food and will get the job done! I recall a quote by Benjamin Franklin, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” Of course, I’m not saying that chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese are a failure, but doesn’t a hot bubbly Ravioli Lasagna Casserole sound better? It may seem like a stretch, but just like this dinner scenario, finding the resources to serve up the Science of Reading can feel daunting, and you may feel like you don’t have the time for something new, but trust me, you do, and you may find that this recipe is something you can’t live without!

Know Your Recipe
By definition, a recipe is a set of instructions, including ingredients, for preparing a particular dish. I LOVE to cook, and I have collected quite a few cookbooks over the years; in each one, you can tell the recipes I’ve used repeatedly. They are well loved with the remnants of a butter-covered thumb smeared across the print. I know my Mother-in-law’s Oatmeal Cake recipe almost by heart, but I’ll always pull out the recipe just to be sure I don’t forget something important. When we have a recipe to follow, our dish will turn out as intended, so knowing a good one that has been replicated and researched by many over decades is one to use. The Science of Reading teaches that phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension work together to create readers. Teachers throughout the country continue to undergo intense training in the Science of Reading, learning that following this recipe of explicit, systematic instruction will meet the literacy needs of their students. A decent stock of staple materials is necessary for a teacher and a cook, but no matter what ingredients you have at your disposal, following a tried and true recipe like the Science of Reading is still vital.

Gather the Right Ingredients
I like to think of myself as a literacy chef, gathering the right ingredients to work into my reading instruction, ultimately creating a learning feast with a little of this and a little of that. You know the SOR recipe, but what if you’re missing a particular ingredient? Can you substitute it for something similar? Will the recipe be ruined, or will the substitution enhance and improve it? Walk into any elementary classroom, open the closet, and find numerous resources that were once the flavor of the year. Millions of dollars are spent year after year trying to find suitable materials to teach reading, and most are collecting dust, still sitting in the plastic wrap like the day they were stored away. Since beginning my teaching career in 1998, I have seen numerous new programs, curriculums, and adoptions come and go as publishers tout that they have the answer for comprehensive reading instruction. I’ve used Open Court, Frog Street Press, Journeys, My View, Words Their Way, Lucy Calkins Units of Study, Fountas & Pinnell, Heggerty, Lexia, and many more. I’ve learned that sometimes the best recipes fail when there are too many cooks in the kitchen, so teachers must remember to keep the recipe for reading simple and use resources that make sense to create effective learning experiences for their students.

Mix It Up and Try New Things
Every recipe can be given new life with new flavors to appeal to a more refined palate. Teachers are tasked with helping students learn and are burdened with how to deliver instruction in a fun and engaging way. Especially now, as teachers deal with the effects of the pandemic, novelty is a must! During my last year in the classroom, I had the privilege of using a patented 3D Augmented Reality technology from Alive Studios Zoo called Classrooms alive with my kindergartners. This novel, brain-based concept of learning with animals added a much-needed spice to my reading lessons. The reactions from my students were that of pure joy! Happy squeals and excited giggles erupted as the zoo animals came to life on the screen! My kindergartners were mesmerized by the 3D Augmented Reality that brought the animals to life in our classroom. If you are unfamiliar with AR, it’s a tool that integrates the real learning world with a virtual world created by computer software. Studies have shown that using augmented reality technology in teaching and learning creates a more effective, efficient, and dynamic learning environment which leads to accelerated learning, and I can attest to that! I used the phonics curriculum my school had in place throughout the year, but it was a game changer when I acquired Classrooms alive! Using Classrooms alive to supplement my phonics instruction motivated my students, increased their engagement, and reinforced their learning. It was the perfect ingredient to add to my instructional routine!

Make It Yours
In my well-loved cookbooks, there are notes in the margins where I’ve run out of one ingredient and grabbed another to sprinkle in its place. I make a note, and if it works, the ingredient changes and the recipe becomes more of my own. The Science of Reading is not a fad or a program to try. It is solid, proven research on how children learn to read. It is the foundational recipe that all teachers must know and implement. Most teachers do not have a say in the programs that are mandated, but be your own chef and use what you know to gather the right ingredients that will work for you to create successful readers. Continue to test your recipe as flavors change and the heat is turned up. And don’t forget to add your own taste and mix it up to create the best learning outcomes for your students.

If you’re interested in trying out Alive Studios Zoo 3D Augmented Reality Technology:
1. Visit the My Letters alive Journals web page.
2. Scroll all the way down to download the free Journals alive app and see the instructions.
3. Make Gerdy Giraffe and the letter Gg come to life on your device!

Finally, if all of this food talk has made you hungry, I’ve included 2 of my favorite back-to-school go-to meals and a sweet dessert to deal with the stress of settling into a new school year! Just click on the recipe links throughout this post.

Have a great 2022-23 school year!

Adam Peterson
Pre-K/K Educator, Author, Speaker, and Educational Consultant
Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/teacherslearn2/

I know from experience that teachers are not known as people who often take a break and just relax. Even during the much deserved time off during the summer, teachers are thinking about their students, what their classroom will look like for the new school year, beginning to plan ideas for their new students, and so much more.

Hopefully all of you amazing teachers reading this blog are also finding time for YOU! Ok, ok…let’s be honest with each other. If you’re reading this blog then you’re obviously fitting into the mold of teachers who never stop learning, and are always trying to find ways to innovate and improve your classroom.

One of my favorite ways to take downtime for me and keep using my summertime to improve as an educator is by listening to podcasts! Whether it’s on a summer road-trip vacation or lounging around at home, podcasts are an easy way to get some free PD before you head back to your classroom.

What better way to start this list of podcast ideas than with a shameless self-promotion of my own shows, right?! Better yet, our CEO, Cynthia Kaye at Alive Studios Zoo, has been a guest on both of my shows to talk about her passion for engaging students and helping teachers. You can find both of my podcasts on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

On My Way To School with Adam Peterson
1. On My Way To School is a podcast where I talk about positivity and passion in education with guests from all walks of life. My guests on this show also talk about life outside education, their side-hustles, and so much more.

The Classroom Collaborative
2. The Classroom Collaborative is a podcast that I co-host with my amazingly talented friend, Deedee Wills from Mrs. Wills Kindergarten. Our guests range from teachers to principals and authors to entrepreneurs.



The end. Just kidding!

There are so many great podcasts for educators out that I would be doing you all a major injustice if I just stopped after mine. So, I also made a list of my top 5 “other” favorites for you to take a listen to as you start to plan your summer road trips and relaxation time. Here you go!


The Cult of Pedagogy
3. Teaching strategies, classroom management, education reform, educational technology — if it has something to do with teaching, we’re talking about it. “Jennifer Gonzalez puts a huge amount of work into making her podcasts useful. She has simultaneous blog articles with all the links mentioned. She does a lot of research ahead of time and summarizes it for us. She prepares excellent questions for her guests ahead of time so that every interview proceeds quickly and with direction. She never interrupts her guests, lets them finish their points. Her diction/elocution is perfect, easy to understand, with no annoying quirks.” – from cultofpedagogy.com


Teachers on Fire with Tim Cavey
4. Warming your heart, sparking your thinking, and igniting your professional practice. “Tim releases a new episode every week, where he chats with an educator about their experiences (both good and bad) and their influences and passions. Tim’s vision is clear, he aims to contribute to the important conversations in and around education that he feels are required to inspire innovative practices by educators around the globe.” – from educationcorner.com


Teach Me, Teacher
5. “Teach Me, Teacher is a podcast for educators where teachers discuss topical, informative, and inspiring subjects. Designed from the ground up as a no nonsense approach to teacher development, this podcast is your gateway to bettering your craft (and having some laughs along the way). It is a show for you. To help you better your craft, learn new skills, and get ideas to fuel your own. It is a show for anyone in the field of education, and will feature teachers and administrators from all over to offer their unique perspectives.” – educatorstechnology.com


Shake Up Learning
6. The Shake Up Learning Show, hosted by Kasey Bell, features a variety of episodes for K12 teachers and educators, including tech tips, lesson ideas, practical advice, on-air coaching, student interviews, and interviews with inspiring educators. – shakeuplearning.com

Who Smarted?
7. My last recommendation is one for you AND your students. I actually had the opportunity to interview the co-creator/host of the show on The Classroom Collaborative recently and he’s fantastic. Who Smarted is a podcast for students ages 5 to 10 and is full of creative learning. “Atomic Entertainment are the Emmy-nominated co-creators and producers of Nat Geo’s #1 educational series BRAIN GAMES & Netflix’s live-action science and history series for kids, BRAINCHILD. Their work has been viewed more than 1 billion times worldwide. The Atomic team includes educators, STEM consultants, writers and producers with a passion for improving the lives of children, parents, and teachers. The Atomic team has spent tens of thousands of hours creating the best educational content in the world; we will stop at nothing to make learning fun and easier for you and your family.” – whosmarted.com

There you go, teachers! I hope you enjoy the shows I shared as much as I do and can find time to relax, unwind, and listen to some inspiring episodes. Whether you’re hitting the road for a summer vacation or sitting with a cup of coffee at home, I’m sure you’ll find something you love in each of the podcasts I mentioned.

“… I encourage you to explore the various ways you can activate your students’ reward centers in their brains and flood them with dopamine.” ~ Chris Dunkel

Chris Dunkel
Chris is an educator of 17 years who was recognized as Teacher of the Year for his school and district, the regional NBC affiliate’s Teacher of the Week, and highlighted by actor and former ESPN personality Roy Firestone as a Teacher Making a Difference.

I LOVE brain science! I have always been intrigued by the way things work, especially things pertaining to memory and our brains. Unfortunately, in the past you couldn’t just cut open a skull and start poking around without killing your subject, so brain science was an after-death pursuit. With the advances in computing and brain imaging technology like MRI and PET machines, now scientists can study a live brain, its growth, and which parts are working when we do different tasks. It’s amazing to think that we’ve learned more about the brain in the past 20 years than in the entire history of humankind!

As a teacher, understanding the way our students’ brains work can go a long way in helping us teach them, as well as help us keep our own sanity. I taught for 17 years, many of those years teaching junior high students with their pubescent, hormone-filled brains. When one of my freshmen would do something that made me wonder, “Does he even have a brain at all?” I knew that in fact he did, but it just wasn’t fully developed yet. His prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps with decision-making and considering consequences, wouldn’t finish developing for many more years, so him acting impulsively was natural. By understanding how the brain works, it increased my patience and led to more “bless their hearts” moments than me simply wanting to wring their necks.

As importantly, understanding brain science helped me to teach my students more effectively. I learned the value of using multiple modalities (seeing, hearing, touching, doing, etc.) to help my students build varying pathways to their newfound knowledge. Teaching content in shorter segments with multiple transitions between them allowed my students’ brains to focus more intensely for short periods of time, something they would have struggled with if having to sit through a longer lecture. Adding physical movement to the activity or having transitions that required the students to get up and move increased blood flow and oxygen to their brains, helping to keep their brains operating at peak performance. While the list goes on, one of the favorite things I learned from brain science is the power of novelty, as it’s so easy to implement.

The idea of novelty in the classroom is to simply change the experience and routine from the norm. This is not to say that you should avoid routines, as routines give our students structure and can ease anxiety. However, seek ways to tweak the routines, because our brains are wired to seek and remember new experiences. Think about your own past. What days in school do you remember? Do you remember the lessons that were commonplace or the ones where the teacher did something different or unexpected? Maybe it was a field trip. Maybe the teacher dressed up in a costume. Maybe it was the day you dissected a frog in biology class. Whatever you remember, it was likely because that day was unlike the rest. As a book I once read on increasing memory noted, “The brain hates boring!” so it tends to forget those experiences (unless it was exceptionally boring, in which case the extreme level of boring made it memorable).

When we experience something for the first time or in a new way, our brains receive a burst of dopamine, often referred to as the “happy hormone” because it is a primary part of our brain’s reward system. In a study published in the journal Neuron (for those keeping score at home, the study title is Absolute Coding of Stimulus Novelty in the Human Substantia Nigra/VTA), UK neurologists presented subjects with neutral images of landscapes, faces, etc. (basically commonplace and boring) while occasionally inserting an “oddball” image that was unusual and out of the ordinary. When these novel images were presented, the participants’ reward centers of their brains were activated and were flooded with dopamine. Without actively seeking a new or unusual situation on their own, the participants were still rewarded by their brains for simply experiencing something new. As educators, we can activate and reward our students’ brains by giving them new experiences as well.

While the study revealed the impact of novelty within our brains, it is something you probably already knew at a personal or subconscious level. Think about your own life and the things you enjoy. Do you like to go on vacation? Do you like to shop? Do you like to read new books, go to movies, or seek new shows to watch on TV? Likely you said yes to at least a few of these, which is all evidence of the brain science of novelty. You enjoy these things because they are new and different, and your brain rewards you for experiencing them. If we humans were truly content with routine, we wouldn’t have a desire to do these things. We’d be happy staying at home, eating the same food every night, reading the same book over-and-over, and wearing the same clothes daily. While there are a few people who might fit this description to some degree, the majority seek novelty and their brains reward them for it. This desire to seek new experiences is what has led us to innovation, exploration, is the driving force behind capitalism, and has allowed us to increase our capacity to learn.

For teachers, understanding the physical actions that are happening in the brains of our students when we introduce novelty can make our teaching so much more effective. Besides elevating the mood of our students (happy students are often better students), the dopamine rush helps to improve their ability to focus and learn. Perhaps best of all, their brains are rewarded for the experience, thus making learning more fun and something they want to continue to do.

Now that we understand the importance of novelty, how do we implement it in our classrooms? Below are some of my favorite ways to add novelty, as these are easy to do without any seismic shifts to your teaching style. The strategies have come from some of the amazing teachers I have been able to observe or learn from, like Adam Peterson of Adam Peterson Education, Hilary Statum of Pencils to Pigtails, and “Mr. Greg” Smedley-Warren of The Kindergarten Smorgasboard, were ones I used in my own classroom or observed from my colleagues. While these are some of my favorites, I encourage you to explore online for many other ways to add novelty to your classroom.

MY FAVORITE WAYS TO ADD NOVELTY TO THE CLASSROOM:

Change the Seating. While most classrooms consist of desks, chairs, and tables, it doesn’t mean that you must use them in traditional ways every day. To mix it up, rearrange the seating in a new pattern. Turn your rows into a circle. Put your desks or tables into clusters. If you’re teaching a specific letter or number that day (like the letter “C” or the number “3”), perhaps arrange the tables or desks in that shape. You might consider moving the seats against the wall and sit on the floor for part of the day. (You would be surprised how much my freshmen loved sitting on the floor for lessons.) While visiting Mr. Greg’s classroom, I noticed that his kindergarteners had areas with some sitting on a Rugs alive classroom rug on the floor, some sitting on a raised platform, and one with a special seat atop a mini-trampoline in the middle of the rug. The kids can sit wherever they like, though he does rotate the high-demand areas (like the platform, stage, and mini-trampoline) daily to give everyone a turn. By giving seating options outside the traditional desk or chair, Mr. Greg keeps things fresh and novel.

Find Alternatives to Traditional Paper and Pencil When Possible. Granted, having students complete traditional worksheets is great for ease of distribution and assessment, but students do it so often that it becomes routine and boring. To mix it up, find unusual ways for students to write their work. Sometimes I would have my students use sticky notes for their answers that they put in various areas of the room, thus requiring them to get up and move, which also increased blood flow to the brain. This was great when I had open-ended questions. I would put the questions around the room, and the students would do a “Gallery Walk” where they moved about the room as if in an art gallery, leaving their answers next to each question. For the little ones, you could have letters around the room and the kids could write or draw something to match the letter, putting their sticky notes next to the letter. Sticky notes are cheap (usually we had several donated to us every year), and the kids loved having their little notepads with them rather than carrying a big sheet of paper.

Adam has a great strategy called “Back Writing” where he has his kids sit in a circle facing their neighbor’s back. Using their finger, they practice writing on their neighbor’s back instead of a traditional surface. I particularly love this strategy, as the students are both writing with their fingers and feeling the letter being written on their backs, activating two different areas of the brain to create multiple memory pathways.

Hilary offers two strategies that I adore. Sometimes she’ll flip her tables upside down and wrap the legs with paper or plastic wrap, giving the students a different surface on which to write. She’ll also clean her tables with shaving cream, allowing her students to practice writing in the shaving cream before wiping them clean. Giving your students a new memorable experience and getting cleaner tables in the process…it doesn’t get much better than that!

Change Where the Presenter Presents. Whether you are teaching or have a student sharing to the class, mix it up from your normal location. When I taught history in a classroom full of tables, rather than present from the front of the room by my projector screen, I would occasionally jump on a table and teach. Not only did I capture their attention immediately, but they also hung on every word, as they were not used to seeing me teach from up there.

Hilary uses this idea but with her students who are presenting, allowing them to stand on a chair or table as long as she is there to assist them. She will occasionally bring out her rolling chair, allowing her presenter to sit in her “special” chair. I was always surprised with how this simple strategy even worked with my freshmen, as it seems that all ages are enthralled with sitting in the teacher’s chair.

When observing Mr. Greg’s class, I loved how often he would change the direction of his audience during a lesson. One moment he might be at a board on the side of the room, then the next moment he was in a different spot, causing them to have to turn and focus on a new area. Instead of being anchored to a fixed position like a desk or screen, he moved a lot which caused his kids’ brains to stay active and follow his movements.

Wear Costumes and Hats. Kids love to dress up, and they love it when you dress up, too. There’s something special about seeing their teachers out of their traditional, buttoned-up attire, so when you do it, they remember it. When I taught history, I had a collection of costumes like a Roman Centurion, Viking, Shakespearean Lord, and more that I would wear with much fanfare and adoration from my students. Mr. Greg and Hilary both share in this love for costumes, as they often don a costume or a relevant hat to bring a little extra to their lessons. Peruse their blogs and you’ll see some fabulous pictures of them dressed up to engage their kids. Likely, you already have a few costumes and hats from Halloween parties or a few materials around the house that you can construct into a cheap costume. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just different. (Pinterest is a great place to get ideas for easy-to-make costumes.)

Dressing up is a terrific way to introduce novelty, though having the kids dress up can be even more impactful. While visiting Mr. Greg, he was teaching a lesson on the connection between Q and U in the English language. To illustrate this point in a memorable way, he told the kids earlier that they would be attending a wedding between Q and U and encouraged the parents to let them dress up for the momentous event. It was so cute to see his kids in dresses and bow ties, but more importantly they were learning literacy in a fun way while also gaining some cultural skills about attending a wedding.

While trying to dress up a whole class of kids may seem daunting, Adam is the master of doing it on the cheap. To really get his kids engaged with a science lesson, Adam bought a pack of white t-shirts from the clearance section and with a few strokes of a marker he made them look like science lab coats for his students. They loved being scientists for the day, and he was able to use the “lab coats” repeatedly with their science experiments throughout the year.

Get Out of the Classroom. While money and the pandemic have limited field trips, that doesn’t mean that you can’t take a mini field trip in your school. Just getting your kids out of their normal space will do wonders to activate their brains in a novel way. For one of my lessons on exploration, my students and I made flags of European powers and dressed up before venturing throughout the school conquering other classrooms. (I prearranged our conquests with my colleagues beforehand.) Our day spent bursting into other classes and claiming their room in the name of Spain, England, etc. was one the highlights of their year and is often mentioned by my former students who visit me years later.

Consider the various places in your school where you might be able to go for a lesson. I’ve had colleagues who have taken students outside, to the cafeteria, to an empty conference room, to the auditorium, to the library, to the roof (though I wouldn’t recommend that with the little ones), or just switched classrooms with a colleague for a period or the day. Just getting your students in a new environment will still trigger the dopamine release and the benefits it brings.

Play! Finding ways to incorporate play into your students’ day not only adds novelty to their learning but is great for building relationships and a sense of belonging. Adam details many of the wonderful benefits of play in his book, Teach. Play. Learn! (available on Amazon), which is a must read for anyone seeking to engage students and bring joy to their classroom.

An easy strategy for adding a sense of play is to have a dance party. In the drama classes I taught, we had a daily warm-up activity called “Whoosh!” that got the kids moving and served as a physical and vocal warmup. While “Whoosh!” has a set of commands that everyone must act upon, we added “Dance Party!” to the mix, giving my students the ability to initiate a mini-dance party at any time. Our 5-to-10 second dance breaks would always elicit laughter as we tried to come up with new and goofy dance moves, flooding our brains with dopamine every time.

Mr. Greg takes dancing to another level, ending each day with a dance party complete with thumping music and flashing lights. While the dance party is part of his end-of-day routine, he makes it unique by adding in some new music and dancing with the kids. What a terrific way to end the day with his students’ brains gushing those happy hormones as they leave, eager to return for another fun day in his class!



Conclusion
Again, the above are just a few of the many ways you can mix up your routines and add some novelty to your class. There are a wealth of tips and strategies online for adding novelty, and I encourage you to explore the various ways you can activate your students’ reward centers of their brains and flood them with dopamine. And when you find some new strategies, your brain will reward you, too, for the new things you learned!

Looking to Bring Even More Novelty to Your Classroom?
Be sure to check out Alive Studio Zoo’s award-winning products that bring 26 zoo animals to life through augmented reality. With our patented technology, you can teach foundational literacy and math skills while creating an experience unlike anything your students have ever seen. It’s why district admin and superintendents tell us they “were blown away by the technology,” “had never seen anything like it,” and call it “the best purchase we’ve ever made for Early Elementary!” To learn more, check out our short, 2-minute “Wow!” video.

About Chris Dunkel
Chris is a former educator of 17 years, endorsed in History, Theatre, Broadcasting, Graphic Design, Business Education, and Business Technology. Recognized as Teacher of the Year for his school and district, the regional NBC affiliate’s Teacher of the Week, and highlighted by actor and former ESPN personality Roy Firestone as a Teacher Making a Difference, Chris continues to seek innovative ways to help students learn. He is a champion for Alive Studios Zoo, who brings innovative literacy and math instruction to early learners that build solid educational foundations for their continued academic success.

One of the most common things we hear from teachers is: “Wow! Your product is amazing! I wish I could afford it!” We understand the dilemma teachers and educators face: getting funding for all the cool stuff they know their students need.

Because we are so committed to helping kids, we are sharing three resources for you to get the funding you need to give your students the best education tools!

1. GetEDFunding.com
(For Public and Private Schools)




This resource curates thousands of free grants and places them in one convenient spot for you to peruse. They provide tips and ideas on how to apply for and write grants. You can also get an email update of new grants delivered right to your inbox! After you register, you’ll be able to search specifically for a grant that fits your needs. For example, if you are looking for boosting literacy in your classroom, you will search within your grade range and click on “Literacy K-12.” It will then bring a list of potential funding options for which you can apply! Also, we have some free templates here on how to write the best grant request possible!


2. DonorsChoose.com
(For Public Schools Only)




This is one of the most popular funding options for teachers, and one that we have seen many teachers get funding for our products. Donors Choose makes it easy for any generous donor to help a classroom in need!

When setting up a Donors Choose project for our products, here are some great tips:

• Choose Kaplan Early Learning as the vendor.
• Have a captivating picture as your photo. You will want a clear picture that conveys exactly what you are trying to achieve.
• Send out an email to all your contacts when you first launch your project to help get some initial funding. You can email friends, family, and communities you are a part of. Learn more about developing a great email campaign here.
• Share your project over social media. Other than email, social media is an effective place to let people know about your project. You can even send out funding updates and remind people to help with a donation! Facebook has been known as the top, most effective place for online fundraising, but Instagram and Twitter are also good places too! Donors Choose has a great video with more in-depth ideas on how to make your project soar!

3. AdoptAClassroom.org
(For Public, Private, and Charter Schools)




The third online resource is AdoptAClassroom.org. Very similar to Donors Choose, teachers and school districts can start and share projects to find donors. You’ll simply create a page for your classroom with details of your needs and people can donate right there! Read more about the process here.

Some helpful tips when using AdoptAClassroom.org are:

• Create a compelling page! Adopt a Classroom does “pages” instead of “projects,” like Donors Choose. Create a page with excellent pictures, a clear goal, and one that tells your story. People love to give support to compelling stories!
• Share! This means making your page public and sharing it with people so they can learn about your needs and possibly help. There are also convenient templates to make page creation a breeze!
  
• Read all their tips on fundraising. Adopt a Classroom has extensive information on effective fundraising for your classroom!

What other methods and tools have you found to be successful in raising funds for your classroom? Let us know!

Preparing pre-K students for kindergarten and keeping them engaged is a huge undertaking. As pre-K teachers, our goal is to build the basic foundations for early reading and math concepts, beginning their social-emotional learning, and working with them on physical abilities such as motor skills. Adding to this challenge is the fact that pre-K teachers also need to attend to students who’ve likely never been in an academic setting and don’t understand the mechanics and expectations of a classroom. Providing a highly-engaging learning experience every day helps us accomplish everything we need to with our pre-K students.

1) Identify students who are (or aren’t) engaged.
When I think about student engagement, the first thing that comes to mind is a child who actively responds, both visibly and audibly, to what’s going on in the classroom—and whose body language is consistent with active involvement in the lesson.

On the contrary, I also think about the very quiet students who are definitely engaged with their learning but demonstrate it in a different way. Some people just have a naturally quiet disposition, of course, but the classroom environment is also pretty scary for our youngest students. It can be very overwhelming and intimidating. They go from being the center of the world in their families to this big classroom with 20+ other kids and two adults whom they don’t know. They’re going to new places and experiencing activities they don’t know how to play, and they’re unsure of how they’re supposed to be communicating in this new environment. All of this lends itself to various ways to express their engagement.

The idea of going from a self-centered environment to feeling like a speck in a big world where I don’t know my place seems intimidating to me as an adult, so I can understand why they’re quiet. I have one little girl in my class now who didn’t really start having conversations with me or most of her classmates until Christmas. Building their confidence is just another element we use to help students develop in order to make sure they’re ready for kindergarten. Fortunately, students tend to develop confidence as they learn both academic and social skills before moving into kindergarten. These are skills such as identifying letters and their sounds, the understanding that letters make words and words make sentences, the ability to count individual objects up to 20, and so on.

Engagement (or lack thereof) may be difficult to spot with such young children as they become accustomed to school, but it’s still at the center of a successful pre-K classroom. By providing a variety of fun and exciting learning opportunities, we can be sure we’re reaching even the shyest students.

2) Create an engaging classroom layout.

Activity centers are a great way to provide that variety of experiences. One way I try to make these activities as engaging as possible is by thinking through the layout of my classroom. I set up one side of the room to be louder and more playful, while the other side is quieter and better suited to concentration. On one side of the room we’ll have blocks and a kitchen play area next to math manipulatives. If you keep walking in the same direction, you’ll find art and science areas, then a station for iPad use and writing, and then a library space.

We also spend lots of time practicing transitions and other classroom routines. It takes some time upfront, but it pays off so well once everyone gets into the swing of the school year and the students know exactly how to move around the classroom. It saves me a lot of time picking up manipulatives and other classroom objects, too, because the students know where they go and are well-practiced at putting them away

3) Look for fun classroom tools.

Like any teacher, I’m always on the lookout for fun new tools to add to my classroom. One of my favorites this year is Letters alive. It’s an early literacy program that teaches the foundations of reading by using 26 zoo animals that spring to life in 3D! Students use letter, word family, and sight word cards to build words and sentences while interacting with the animals.

These 3D animals are so exciting for the students, of course, but one of the things I like about the product is that it doesn’t just live in a piece of software. We use the cards as traditional flashcards, and there are also student journals that can be taken home to work on the same literacy concepts with their parents on mobile devices. The free mobile app turns the journal into a magical 3D animal adventure! A big part of engaging pre-K students and ensuring their growth is parents who are committed and engaged in their children’s education.

4) Take plenty of breaks.

Children in pre-K are just too young to sit still for long stretches of time and remain mentally engaged. They need breaks, and they definitely need to move. Kids love songs, so I firmly believe that anything with a tune and educational value belongs in a classroom. I can’t sing, though, so I’ll often play songs via YouTube videos and playlists that incorporate our learning objectives. It gives students a little mental break, but it also reinforces the concepts we’re working on as a class. I like to use GoNoodle, a service that combines physical activity in the classroom with educational activities, too. It gets the kids moving while they learn. It’s a great way to get students alert and attentive without sacrificing instructional time. Alive Studios also has an awesome alphabet song for introducing the 26 animals in their zoo. The kids love it!