January Features from Internet 4 Classrooms

January Blog | App of The Month | What's Happening |
New- Online Practice | New- Printables | New- Answer Keys |
Teacher Resources | Parent Resources | Technology Tips |
Other Areas of Interest | Common Core |
SAT and ACT Test Preparation

January brings National Staying Healthy Month, MLK Day, National Puzzle Day, and much more.

January Blog: Thinking on Your Own – Part 2: Speech and Debate (Activities to Build Reasoning, Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills)

Thinking on Your Own – Part 2: Speech and Debate (Activities to Build Reasoning, Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills)

This month's blog is Thinking on Your Own – Part 2: Speech and Debate (Activities to Build Reasoning, Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills) .

We live in the most abundant period of human history. But that doesn’t mean our problems are all solved or that everything is easy. Every day we face a flood of information, misinformation and disinformation. And with even a moderate level of perspective we should be grateful for what we have, yet realize how much is uncertain - or simply not known. Skills that aid in navigating these waters are paramount.

This is the second of a five part blog series in which we're reviewing educational activities that should be introduced (and strongly emphasized) for paradigm shifting increases in reasoning, problem solving and critical thinking skills. We covered Chess and Complex Board Games in part one. In part two we're covering the benefits of speech and debate practice and competition.

Guest Blogger Bill Franklin, the CEO of Internet4Classrooms, is our guest blogger this month. He has been on the faculty at The George Washington University, has years of platform instructional experience, was a career Army Special Operations officer and also has decades of experience as a youth sports coach.

App of the Month

Every month we are going to feature a different, and hopefully FREE, iPad/iPod/iPhone/Android educational application. Visit our ever-changing app page.

The App of the Month for January is Verba | Public Speaking Coach by Shaileshkumar Dave ( iOS and Android ).

Verba is a platform designed to help people speak confidently through an NLP-powered mobile app, custom curriculum through coaches and schools, bootcamps, competitions, and much more!

The fear of public speaking, glossophobia, affects over 75% of the population. Applicable in every interaction, the skill of being able to speak confidently is important for all demographics. At Verba, we’re here to help you master that skill and reach your goals, whether that be getting better at social interaction or preparing to speak in front of audiences of thousands.

With a team of experienced speakers in the fields of persuasive speaking (debate) and informational speaking (motivational), we give you daily tips on how to maximize your growth on this learning journey. To help you get feedback on your speaking, we have exercises on the app that you can use to track your confidence, speed, and content. We’re in the early stages of development on this front, so we’re continuously working on new drills to make your experience more immersive. Other features include a community you can schedule sessions to practice with. Community building is key to learning, and what better way to practice your public speaking than through social interaction? We also have some topics that people post on the app that you can use to start a conversation!

In addition to our public speaking-oriented features, at Verba, we take a unique approach and help you learn different styles of speaking for different purposes. Persuasive speaking is important for job interviews and situations in which you need to sell yourself, an idea, a product, or anything else of the sort. Through an immersive debate curriculum, daily news to help you if you participate in competitive debate, and refutation drills, we have the infrastructure to support you if you want to explore the debate route!

We are committed to leading the battle against glossophobia, and welcome any feedback to help us progress. Any feedback is much appreciated, and we hope you enjoy your experience our fellow Verbalites!

Verba | Public Speaking Coach is available for Apple and Android devices.

Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.0 or later on Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and Android version 6.0 and up on your Android device.

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS MONTH?

Here are some of the January events that you can celebrate or make note of this month:

1. National Staying Healthy Month
   
   We're in the midst of cold and flu season - keep your students and yourself healthy! Here are some great tips for you to share to your classroom! Make sure to emphasize the importance of washing your hands and covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough!


2. Betsy Ross (1/1/1752)
   
   Did you know that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag of the United States? I4C has printables and other resources to help students learn about the evolution of flag of the United States of America.










3. Louis Braille (1/4/1809)
   
   Did you know that Louis Braille was blinded in a childhood accident and created the braille system when he was fifteen? I4C has resources for the visually impaired, including Braille and audio resources. Be sure to check out I4C's other Assistive Technology resources.


4. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (1/16)
   
   Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in your classroom today! Learn about his life and his accomplishments, read and watch his 'I Have a Dream' speech, and learn about the Civil Rights Movement on our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. resource page







5. Benjamin Franklin's Birthday (1/17/1706)
   
   Did you know that Ben Franklin invented the first American instrument, the glass armonica? Find out about other things that Franklin invented and contributed to from the Franklin Institute. Check out this great book recommendation for 6th grade about Ben Franklin. Lasalle University has a great Ben Franklin lesson plan for middle schoolers and Scholastic has a ton of Ben Franklin themed resources and lesson plans for all grade levels.


6. National Handwriting Day (1/23)
   
   I4C has tons of handwriting resources for you to use in your classroom! We have a page for kindergartners with tons of handwriting worksheets. Help your students with uppercase and lowercase letters. We also have resources for your students to practice manuscript and cursive and handwriting help for students with ADHD.


7. Jackson Pollock's Birthday (1/28/1912)
   
   Celebrate Jackson Pollock's birthday in your classroom today! Watch a short video about Pollock and read his biography. I4C also has art resources and lesson plans you can use in your classroom.


8. National Puzzle Day (1/29)
   
   Work puzzles in your lesson plans today! I4C has word search and crossword puzzle makers and tons of brain teasers!




9. FDR's Birthday (1/30/1882)
   
   Happy Birthday to President Franklin D. Roosevelt! Did you know he was the only president elected to four terms in office? Find teacher resources like curriculum guides and an interactive timeline from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and read and listen to some of his speeches and Fireside Chat radio addresses.

New- ONLINE PRACTICE AT I4C

Internet4Classrooms now offers Online Practice and Interactives, covering Kindergarten to Eighth Grade Common Core Mathematics. Look for a rapidly growing variety of thousands of practice quizzes tied to the Common Core State Standards, School Subjects, Activities, and Holidays.

Check out our Online Practice Quizzes. More grades and subjects coming soon.

New Online Practice Quizzes Made Available in August

We have released many new online quizzes during the last months supporting the Common Core Standards.

Try them out, and then use them with your students as:

• Bell Ringers,
• In Class Assignments,
• Homework or
• Extra Credit.

Here is a list of the newest quizzes by grade.

New- COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS PRINTABLES AT I4C

Internet4Classrooms offers Printables, covering Kindergarten to Sixth Grade Mathematics. Look for a rapidly growing variety of thousands of practice worksheets tied to the Common Core State Standards, School Subjects, Activities, and Holidays.

Check out our Common Core Printables. More grades and subjects coming soon.

New Printables Worksheets Made Available in August

We have released thousands of new printables worksheets during the last months supporting the Common Core Standards.

Try them out, and then use them with your students as:

• Bell Ringers,
• In Class Assignments,
• Homework or
• Extra Credit.

Here is a list of the newest worksheet sets by grade.

New- Answer Keys




New Worksheet Answer Keys Made Available in August

We have released thousands of new answer keys for our printables worksheets during the last months supporting the Common Core Standards.

Remember that you can sign up for answer key access here: https://i4c.xyz/n89msyv.

Here is a list of the newest answer key sets by grade.





TEACHER RESOURCES



1. Many historical events happened this month which you can cover in your classroom. Check outI4C's History page for lesson plans, videos, activities, and other resources to supplement your lessons.


2. In need of project ideas for the second half of the school year? We have them: subject areas, inventors, biographies, middle/high school level projects, and countries and continents.


3. Keep your students and yourself healthy this cold and flu season! Here are some great tips to share with your students and their parents.


4. National Handwriting Day - I4C has tons of handwriting resources for you to use in your classroom! We have a page for kindergartners with tons of handwriting worksheets, help for uppercase and lowercase letters, resources for your students to practice manuscript and cursive, and handwriting help for students with ADHD.


5. Looking for lesson plans to bring in the new year? We have a whole page dedicated to lesson plans by grades and subjects.


6. Are you using our Site Map? Don't forget it's an easy and quick way to search alphabetically by topic.


7. Be sure to check out I4C's collection of free educational iPhone and iPad apps.


8. Remember to visit our Teacher Tools section. This home page contains all the topics you need to use during the school year.


9. Go to our grade level help for lesson plans, activities, instructionals, and tools organized by grade and subject.



PARENT RESOURCES




1. While the kids are at home, have them practice their reading while feeling like they're playing computer games. Our SkillBuilders Language section has online stories, organized by grade.


2. Make your own worksheets - scroll to the bottom of our teacher tools page. It's a great way to keep the daily lessons fresh in their minds. If you're feeling adventurous we also have crosswords and puzzles you can customize too.


3. Reinforce great school habits by creating fun awards to hand out at home. This page has a ton of sites that help you create any type of award you can think of.


4. Get the kids dancing at home with our music resources page. Super fun on a cold winter day.


5. This month is Read a New Book Month and is a great time to get your kids interested in reading. Here are 10 great tips to help make reading fun and Scholastic has great children's book lists and reading resources for parents.


6. Teach your children about different winter holidays and find resources for the holidays you celebrate. I4C has Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa pages.


7. On January 13th, it's National Cocoa Day. We have chocolate themed activities, chocolate recipes, and activities based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for you to do with your child.


8. Want to reinforce a concept with your child? Check out our Grade Level Skill Help page for tons of resources in math and language arts covering a variety of topics.


9. Parents, check out I4C's Exceptional Children resources, including a Special Education page as well as resources on Autism, ADHD, Gifted, and Learning Disorders.


10. Keep your children and yourself healthy this cold and flu season! Here are some great tips .


11. Work puzzles in to your day! I4C has word search and crossword puzzle makers and tons of brain teasers!


12. Want to reinforce a concept with your child? Check out our Grade Level Skill Help page for tons of resources in math and language arts covering a variety of topics.


13. Be sure to check out I4C's collection of free educational iPhone and iPad apps for you and your child.


14. You can always visit our Parent Resources page to get grade level practice sites, find online sources, and information pertaining to homework, special needs, reading help, and more.


15. Don't forget our Technology Tutorial section in case you need refresher courses in your computer skills.





TECHNOLOGY TIPS



1. UM Debate’s Tech Tips for Online Debate:
   Short and to the point, this article from the University of Michigan Debate Team shares lessons learned from trying out a bunch of technology (so you don’t have to). Areas covered include: microphones, speakers, internet connections, and computer setups.
   
   Learn more in the article found: HERE


2. How to Give a TED Worthy Presentation:
   Have you noticed how TED Talks are insanely persuasive and engaging? There are so many valuable presentation tips that can be learned from watching TED Talks. This post presents a list of 30 of the best ones that you can easily start implementing in your next presentation!
   
   Learn more by visiting: HERE.


3. Debate Tech Tips:
   This article illuminates ways technology can make debate easier and more efficient. The tips range from basic (but absolutely essential) like using Verbatim, to advanced and creative tips like our suggestions vis-à-vis spell check. Whether you're new to debate, or an intermediate/advanced competitor, you'll probably find a good idea from one of the 10 tech tips covered in this article that will improve your debating skills and performance. 
   
   You can find out more: HERE.






We also have other basic instruction in Microsoft Office, including Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007.





OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST



1. Resources for Educators - In this section you can find classroom resources for Exceptional Children, Smartboards, Character Education, Web 2.0 Resources and other topics.
2. Resources for Parents - Parents can find resources
   on assisting their children with homework, time management, Internet Safety, subject area resources, grade level resources and more.




Common Core State Standards at I4C




Our Common Core State Standards are full of resources for every individual standard. Students can take control of their own learning by clicking on the page with the standard number, and choosing their own resource to practice that skill.




Check out our Common Core Math High School Algebra Standards, Common Core Math Standards, and Common Core ELA Standards.




SAT and ACT Test Preparation

Free Online Practice Resources for ACT Tests and SAT Tests. I4C now offers free SAT and ACT vocabulary and math quizzes. Join our SAT and ACT Test Preparation program and log in as much as you'd like. Students can take practice tests on 5000 vocabulary words or over 1000 math problems. Parents and Mentors can log in to monitor your scores - including seeing which vocabulary words that were missed. Interactive quizzes allow the test taker to retake and study as much as they want.




Sign Up Here for ACT Test & SAT Test Preparation.