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ISSUE 5 | FALL 2024
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If your inbox is full of invitations to participate in academic contests—spelling bees, math marathons, and even the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest—you may be asking, “Are these competitions worth the time and effort to participate?”
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There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question, but we’ve compiled some questions you can consider as you weigh the options and determine what’s best for your school.
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Fun Fact: Field bees leave the hive daily to forage for pollen and nectar they bring back in “pollen baskets” on their legs.
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Inspired by the field bees, we’ve collected ideas from classrooms across the country to share with you!
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Students Make the Rules!
How do you empower students to take responsibility for shared areas of the classroom?
Students in a central Indiana third-grade classroom worked together to establish rules for their class library after many complained they couldn’t choose a book quickly for independent reading because of messy shelves.
The poster they created helps everyone remember lessons about placing books right side up on shelves with spines facing outward, being mindful of section labels, not tearing or writing on book pages, and remembering that shared space is a shared responsibility. If you find something out of place, fix it!
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Have you had a positive experience with a Zaner-Bloser program or curriculum? We’d love to hear about it! Your school’s success could be featured in a video and shared with peers at other schools to help them inspire more “aha” moments! Contact us to learn more.
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Fun Fact: The buzzing sound we hear near honeybees is caused by the vibration of their wings flapping 230 times per second! Wing vibrations enable bees to fly, control hive temperature, evaporate moisture, and communicate.
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We love learning from and alongside teachers! We joined educators at the 2024 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting in Chicago and heard this simple strategy to encourage inquiry and ownership of learning.
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Show What You Know
Add a simple bonus question to the end of all tests and quizzes: What else do you know?
Include gentle guidelines to help students get used to the question—for example, …about prime numbers or …after this unit of study? Establish your own criteria for scoring answers: 1 point for an attempted math response, 2 points for a correct math response, etc.
The question enables students who worked hard but perhaps didn’t master the material to demonstrate what they know. It also helps students practice articulating what they know.
Credit: Ben Talsma, “Seven Simple Strategies to Infuse Inquiry Into Math Class”
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Enjoy a taste of Zaner-Bloser with these free printables.
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Ready . . . Set . . . Goals!
Ready to boost students’ confidence and empower them to take responsibility for their learning? Encourage them to set goals and create a plan to achieve them.
This simple template helps students think SMART about goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound.
You can even set goals together with families during conferences this fall!
Get the Template
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Readers Recommend Books
Now that daily routines are established and students are gaining familiarity with your classroom library and reading apps, why not expand the conversation about what readers do?
Readers share books they love with friends! Use these printable cards to recommend books to students and encourage them to recommend books to each other, too.
You can even display books in the classroom next to a recommendation—just like in your favorite bookstore!
Download Printable Cards
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What do Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest winners grow up to be? Their best selves! We checked in with previous winners to see what they’re doing—and if handwriting still plays a role in their lives. Here’s one story:
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Steady and Consistent
Derez Peters was a state-level winner in the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest in 2001. After graduating from high school, Derez attended Pearl River Community College and took art and calligraphy courses. Now he’s a licensed tattoo artist in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
There’s definitely a connection between my handwriting and my success in tattooing, especially with cursive lettering. Having a steady, consistent hand and good line work is the foundation of tattooing, and if you can’t do these things, then you can’t really tattoo. I know that my handwriting and art skills have helped with that.
—Derez Peters
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We’re serious about skills but value joyful learning, too—so we’ll leave you with some quick fun to tuck into your day.
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Puzzle courtesy of Highlights brainPLAY, the ultimate all-puzzle magazine for ages 7+
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Score This Football-Inspired Puzzle
Every answer in this crossword puzzle is made up of letters from the phrase “Game-winning touchdown.” Challenge students to complete it independently or work collaboratively in small groups.
Download to Play!
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Fun Fact: A honey super is a box a beekeeper adds to the top of a hive structure to give bees more room to store honey. The term is short for superstructure.
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The Hive’s Honey Super is a space for extra resources, too! We’ve included links to past issues you can explore again at your convenience.
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In Case You Missed It
SUMMER 2024 | Back-to-School Edition
Popular Features:
- 5 Ways to Build Classroom Community
- Postcard Notes Home free printable
- Highlights Hidden Pictures freebie
SPRING 2024
Popular Features:
- Teacher-Submitted Activities to Showcase Yearly Progress
- School Year Memories free printable
- Effort/Impact Matrix for teachers’ self-evaluations
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