Job Seekers

I'm so proud of my youngest child who graduated from college three weeks ago. Unfortunately, with things the way they are today his only job offer was to return to his "summer" job at the frozen food plant where he had been employed for the previous four summers. (I say unfortunately but believe me, I know it is a very good thing, many of his classmates have no job at all.) The following freebie gives a little insight into a career as an actuary--maybe it's the field for you.

Title: Actuarial Career Video
Description: Learn more about becoming an actuary.
Suggested Grade: 8-12
Format: VHS videotape
Availability: Schools, libraries, and homeschoolers in the United States and Canada. This videotape may be retained permanently. It is also available as streaming video from the web site. You may write to the address below to make your request or order via the Internet.
Source: Casualty Actuarial Society
1100 North Glebe Road, Suite 600
Arlington, VA 22201
http://www.beanactuary.org/counselors/speakit/order.cfm

STORMY WEATHER

It was a night of violent storms in my area last night--sadly a number of tornados did a lot of damage in the Midwest. This freebie provides more information about these sometimes deadly storms.

Title: Fabulous Funnels
Suggested Grade: 7-12
Format: Online Lesson Plan
Availability: Available to all requesters
Description: An interactive Internet lesson in which students will learn what tornados are, how they are created and measured, and what their effects are on communities.
Source: Alexander Sabatino, Jr.
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/lessons/funnels/index.html

Cinco de Mayo freebie

It seems hard to believe that tomorrow marks the 5th day of May already. In observance of the annual Mexican celebration of "Cinco de Mayo," here is just the tiniest tidbit of a freebie that will tell you some facts about this day that you may not know (did you know that it is more widely celebrated in the United States than Mexico?)

Title: Cinco de Mayo
Suggested Grade: All ages
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Description: Tells about the "fifth of May" as celebrated in Mexico and the United States.
Source: KU Medical Center
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/cinco.html

U. S. Constitution Freebie

On this day in 1788, Maryland became the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution. The following freebie allows students to access primary documents, identify arguments for and against the ratification of the Constitution, and produce a broadside in which they take a position on whether their state should ratify the Constitution. Would they have agreed with Maryland?

Title: The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation?
Suggested Grade: 11
Format: Online Lesson Plan
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Claudia Argyres and Jim Smith
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/broad/intro.html

Earth Day Freebie

In honor of Earth Day, the following freebie is sure to help students learn more about how precious our environment is and how to preserve it.

Title: Charlie Chestnut Curriculum Manual
Suggested Grade: 4-8
Format: Downloadable Curriculum
Availability: Available to all requesters
Description: A complete curriculum manual for helping students learn more about this disappearing tree.
Source: The American Chestnut Foundation
http://www.charliechestnut.org/Phase1/Teachers/Teachers.html

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Because of the vast amount of quality free teaching aids available to help cash-strapped teachers save money, I'm starting this blog to help educators out even more. Regular postings will provide information on EVEN MORE free resources for education. Each and every listing will be a new resource that is not included among the thousands already listed in our annually revised Guides. Think of it as our gift to you--the teachers and librarians who struggle with restricted budgets and yet provide the best education for tomorrow's leaders. We salute you!