# data[].attributes.body
read the CCSS here - easy to navigate, compare grade levels, etc...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Make dot-trace handwriting practice worksheets in PRINT - D'NEALIAN or CURSIVE. Teach name writing - letter formation or practice writing sentences and paragraphs. Font can be traceable dots or hollow outline font. Also change letter size, letter color, line color and even color of direction arrows. You can then PRINT your worksheet for immediate use. Click on the worksheet to begin.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make dot-trace handwriting practice worksheets in PRINT - D'NEALIAN or CURSIVE. Teach name writing - letter formation or practice writing sentences and paragraphs. Font can be traceable dots or hollow outline font. Also change letter size, letter color, line color and even color of direction arrows.

# data[].attributes.body
online resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For many educators, conferences are coming up soon, and it can be a stressful time. To help parents and educators prepare for parent-teacher conferences, we've rounded up a variety of web resources.

From ideas for highlighting student progress, to questions every parent should ask, these are some of our favorite articles and resources that cover parent-teacher conferencing. Enjoy the rest of the school year!

Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets for Principals, Teachers, and Parents: The Harvard Family Research Project produced these tip sheets with English and Spanish versions. Each sheet has sections written specifically for parents, teachers, and principals, and is available as a free PDF download. Two other insightful resources from the Family Research Project are Academic Parent-Teacher Teams: Reorganizing Parent-Teacher Conferences Around Data and Reimagining the Parent-Teacher Conference.

Guide to Parent-Teacher Conferences From Scholastic: This collection of resources for educators focuses on measuring student progress and conducting meaningful conferences with parents. Scholastic also features a great parent-specific resource, Make the Most of Your Teacher Conference, which offers ideas for what to do before, during, and after conferences.

Parent-Teacher Conference Resources From Reading Rockets: This Reading Rockets article highlights literacy questions parents should ask, from suggestions for getting students reading at home to understanding your student's reading level. There are also some great links to other Reading Rockets resources, including PTC tips for parents of English-language learners on sister site ¡Colorín Colorado!

TeacherVision's Parent-Teacher Conference Resources: TeacherVision hosts a wealth of resources for parent-teacher conferences. There are conference forms, curated resources for getting parents involved, and a list of some of the best articles on parent-teacher conferences. One favorite is Parent-Teacher Conferences: Before, During, and After. Another great round-up to check out is the National Education Association's Parent-Teacher Conference page, which features practical articles and tips for parents and teachers.

New Teacher Survival Guide Video: The Parent-Teacher Conference: This Teaching Channel video offers preparation ideas, a first-hand look at conducting a conference, and some great tips and strategies from parent-relationship expert Diane Feinstein. There are plenty of interesting tidbits packed into this ten-minute video, making it a perfect resource for educators of any experience level. Teaching Channel's blog post, Beyond Parent-Teacher Conferences: Building Connections That Last, by Lily Jones, also provides useful advice for using conferences to springboard into continued dialogues with parents.

Inviting Students to Lead Conferences

Student-led conferences empower learners to take ownership of their accomplishments and their classroom goals. Yet, for many teachers, it can be a challenge figuring out how to best facilitate them. In 2015, Edutopia examined how one school in Chicago uses student-led conferences to create opportunities for reflection, engagement, and agency.

You'll find some wonderful resources in that collection. Here are a few more ideas, guides, and tips for letting students take the lead during parent-teacher conferences:

Parent-Teacher Conference Reading List

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Resources for Parent-Teacher Conferences | Edutopia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For many educators, conferences are coming up soon, and it can be a stressful time. To help parents and educators prepare for parent-teacher conferences, we've rounded up a variety of web resources. From ideas for highlighting student progress, to questions every parent should ask, these are some of our favorite articles and resources that cover parent-teacher conferencing.

# data[].attributes.body
from Edutopia...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In this tough economy, funding for classroom supplies is growing increasingly scarce. Even in good times, K-12 public school teachers can easily dole out $500-$1,000 of their own money a year for supplies.

But as school budgets continue to tighten, that figure could escalate, says James Rosenberg, president and founder of Adopt-A-Classroom, which has raised $10 million for supplies for 20,000 classrooms in all 50 states during the past decade.

Rather than reaching deeper into your own pockets, here are some grassroots tips from creative educators for getting free supplies despite budget cuts, and leads to organizations that help teachers get the goods they need.

Don't Buy What's Free

Look into these strategies for obtaining free materials:

Recycling. Jennifer Volpe, a former speech pathologist at Cobble Hill High School, in Brooklyn, New York, recommends a nonprofit recycling site called Freecycle, where people from all over the world post books, CDs, electronics, and toys they're giving away. "The only catch is that you have to arrange to pick up the items," says Volpe.

Free shopping spree. Teachers at schools in which at least 60 percent of students qualify for free lunch can take part in a monthly shopping spree at resource centers such as A Gift for Teaching, in Orlando, Florida, which gets many of its new supplies donated as surplus from businesses. For teachers at schools where 70 percent of the population qualifies for free lunch, the Kids in Need Foundation has built a network of 25 free school-supply resource centers around the country. Other local associations that gather and distribute free supplies include the Teacher Resource Center of the North Bay, in Napa County, California, Schoolhouse Supplies in Portland, Oregon, and the Teacher Supply Depot in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Try an online group. Join a Yahoo Group or a Google Group in your community and post a request for the supplies you need.

Put Your Classroom Up for Adoption

Adopt-A-Classroom offers a free, safe online e-wallet account to educators who want to solicit financial support from the community. Teachers can use the money to purchase books, games, and other educational supplies through the online vendors associated with the site.

To sign up, log on to the site, register your classroom, and describe what kinds of supplies you'd like to buy. Then let parents and local businesses know that they can "adopt" your classroom for as little as $25.

Raise Funds for Supplies

Neeta Garg, owner of the Kumon Math and Reading Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, wanted to help local teachers. So she organized a school-supplies drive. She sent flyers and emails to parents, and her daughter posted the event on Facebook. In addition to hundreds of donated pencils and notebooks, she collected gloves, coats, and backpacks -- all of which she donated to area public schools.

And at Wilmot Elementary School, in Deerfield, Illinois, parent-teacher organization (PTO) fundraisers pay for a lot of supplies. Teachers fill out wish lists of the classroom supplies they'd like, from pencil sharpeners to cooking utensils. The PTO organizes fundraisers throughout the year, including a Market Day, when students and their families can order food from a catalog once a month.

Start a Gift Registry

Gift registries aren't just for weddings anymore. At DonorsChoose, public school teachers can post online requests for equipment and supplies. (Read an Edutopia article with tips for successfully using DonorsChoose.) Digital Wish allows teachers to create a classroom technology wish list that supporters can browse and fund.

Sell Advertising Space

Tom Farber, an Advanced Placement calculus teacher at San Diego's Rancho Bernardo High School, made headlines when he asked parents and local businesses to sponsor his exams. "I knew that I had to do something," said Farber, explaining that if he gave one quiz per chapter to each of his 167 students, he'd spend more than $500 (roughly $3 a student) on photocopies alone.

So Farber began selling a small amount of space at the bottom of each exam. He charges $10 per quiz, $20 for tests, and $30 per final. Most sponsors use motivational quotes, such as this gem: "A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants trees under which he full well knows he will never sit."

In the fall semester of 2009, Farber raised more than $625 -- enough to cover a year's worth of photocopies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this tough economy, funding for classroom supplies is growing increasingly scarce. Even in good times, K-12 public school teachers can easily dole out $500-$1,000 of their own money a year for supplies.

# data[].attributes.body
Tips and places to get free materials for your classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Savvy educators' tips on scoring no-cost classroom resources.

Staffed by volunteers, the store solicits donations of goods to "sell" from area merchants and accepts overstock items and damaged and seasonal goods. Inventory includes everything from paper, pens, and glue to learning games and instructional supplies. Teachers pay with "teacher bucks," which they earn through CREA by participating in local activities or by doing business with the Linn Area Credit Union.

"The key to the success of a store like this is finding the right partner," says Tammy Wawro, Iowa State Education Association Vice President and CREA President.

Fortunately, the Linn Area Credit Union had contacted CREA prior to the flood, looking for a way to partner with them on a project. The Association had learned about the idea of a teacher's store at a conference and decided it would be an ideal project on which to work with the credit union.

The Teacher Store is just one example of how creative educators around the country stock their classrooms when tight budgets leave little money for supplies. We asked your colleagues for their tips on finding free materials for the classroom. Read on for their ideas.

Get Support from the Community

As the Cedar Rapids educators discovered, sometimes the best resources are right next door. Many local grocery stores, superstores, restaurants, and community groups offer freebies or discounts to educators.

"I've reached out to local restaurants and built good relationships with them. They often give me free gift cards to give away as prizes to students who I reward for special achievements," says, Monica Bueno, a Graham, North Carolina middle school teacher.

Patricia Shirley, a fifth-grade teacher in Yelm, Wisconsin, has also had success reaching out to local clubs and churches. A river education organization funded field trips for her class and provided educational materials that she uses in her lesson plans. And churches and community groups have helped purchase classroom supplies and donated backpacks for needy children, she says.

"One local fast food restaurant let us come in and serve food throughout the day as a fundraiser," says Shirley. "The restaurant gave part of the proceeds of the meals purchased to be used in our school."

Don't Be Afraid to Ask

The worst they can say is "no," Shirley reminds. "If they say 'no,' follow with the question, 'do you know anyone who could help with this?' You never know where your need will be met," she says.

Indiana elementary school teacher Jason Hubler approached local stores to stock his classroom with free comic books. They can use the donation as a tax break, he says.

Hubler also doesn't limit his asking to his hometown. "I've gotten computer and electronic equipment donated by writing to companies. For example, I wanted to do a virtual fieldtrip for my class and I thought it would be neat to have virtual reality goggles. So I emailed some companies who sell them, and one was willing to send me a pair," he says. When asking for materials, he uses this strategy:

describe the school population

tell them what you want to use the item

ask if they give a discount or would be willing to make a donation to schools.

Consider Donor Sites

DonorsChoose operates in a similar manner, allowing teachers to post their requests, from colored pencils to laptops, to be funded by a contributor. Nearly two-thirds of all projects posted on DonorsChoose receive full funding, even those that cost up to a few thousand dollars. Contributors have a little more interaction with teachers; they receive photos of their money in action, a cost report of how each dollar of their donation is spent, and a thank you letter from the teacher or all the students, if the donation exceeds $100.

Take Advantage of Discounts

Donations are always appreciated, but you'll still probably need to purchase some items for your class. Many thrifty educators look for Teacher Appreciation Days at office supply stores. Kelly Eddy, a high school humanities teacher in Livonia, Wisconsin, notes that at certain times of the year, teachers can get supplies for as little as a penny. "Certain stores also offer teacher rewards programs where teachers can get cash back for their purchases, which really helps with the classroom budget throughout the year," she says.

Get 10 Free Things a Month

Everyone has their go-to sites for education materials, but if you lack the time to look for the latest free stuff on the Web, check out NEA's 10 Free Things page. Each month, you'll find a list of free things on the Web beneficial to educators. This month check out Johns Hopkins' Best Evidence Encyclopedia, which presents reliable, unbiased reviews of research-proven educational programs; a National Parks program that sends park maps, resource guides, activity sheets, and stuffed mascots to participating schools; and e-GFI, an interactive site that lets visitors explore the world of engineers, including aerospace, electrical, ocean, and computer engineers.

Use No-Cost Tech Tools

Sure, we all use Google for searching the Web, but if you're not using the Google G Suite for Education, you're missing out. The package includes:

a talk function to let teachers and students communicate with their counterparts around the world

a calendar to organize schedules and test dates

an easy way to create a class Web site without needing to know HTML or programming languages

the ability to create documents and presentations and then collaborate with each other in real time via the Web.

Zoho Show also lets students create documents and spreadsheets but includes the ability to make quizzes and surveys as well. It can also be used for online collaboration and offers more editing options and templates than those found in Google Presentation.

One of the better free programs for easily creating slideshows is Animoto. Students simply select the images and music they want to use and click go. Animoto does the rest. Registering for an education account lets students create videos longer than the 30 seconds allowed in the basic free account.

Educators skeptical of using the anything-goes YouTube in the classroom can turn to SchoolTube--every one of its 35,000 videos were screened by a classroom teacher before going live.

To get started, simply "register with an email address, then let your students do the rest," says co-creator Carl Arizpe. "Once they create and upload their videos, you'll receive an email notice. After logging in to review it, you can approve a video with the click of a button."

Recycle, Recycle

Sometimes, all it takes is channeling your inner MacGyver to transform those everyday materials to meet your classroom needs. For example, laundry detergent boxes can be used to make portable file boxes or portfolio cases, writes Carleen Drozda, a family and consumer science teacher in Perry, Ohio. A 16.43 lbs box is "exactly the right size to house hanging file folders and other portfolio covers sized for 8 ½ x 11-in. paper." Drozda decorates the case with contact paper and uses it to carry curriculum guides and other necessities. "My students enjoy making these cases to use at home too," she says.

Nancy Christy, a language arts teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gets students in on the recycling act. When students clean out their lockers at the end of the year, she rolls a cart up and down the halls, asking them to donate any usable supplies. "I never have to buy crayons, markers, or colored pencils for hands-on projects," she says. "In addition, when the new school year begins, I always have some kids whose families are unable to fully supply them with the materials they need. . . . To save kids from embarrassment, I offer to let kids 'get what you need to use until your folks have time to get to the store.'"

Becky Sido, an elementary school teacher in Kinnelon, New Jersey, saves all of her old dryer sheets from the laundry she does at home and brings them to class to use as white board erasers. "It helps to teach kids about recycling and a hidden bonus is that it makes the classroom smell great," she says.

You'd be surprised how much money a little bit of out of the box thinking can save on your supplies.

Advice Is Free--And You Should Take It

You may not immediately think of it as a classroom resource, but when it's needed, good advice from veteran educators can be a professional goldmine.

Works4Me is a collection of practical classroom tips written by teachers for teachers. Its online community regularly share what works for them via an online discussion board, and the best ideas are sent out weekly to subscribers in an e-newsletter (sign up here).

It's not always easy finding those no-cost resources, but it helps to keep a positive, proactive attitude, advises Jeremy Merrell, a kindergarten teacher in Danville, Pennsylvania. "At the end of the day, remember who you are ultimately working for--your students," he says. "Your goal as a teacher is to provide the best learning experience and resources possible for them."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Staffed by volunteers, the store solicits donations of goods to "sell" from area merchants and accepts overstock items and damaged and seasonal goods. Inventory includes everything from paper, pens, and glue to learning games and instructional supplies. Teachers pay with "teacher bucks," which they earn through CREA by participating in local activities or by doing business with the Linn Area Credit Union.

# data[].attributes.body
Teachers who work in UCPS and CMS (and possibly other NC districts?) can visit Classroom Central once a month and stock up on FREE materials for your classroom --- take advantage of this wonderful resource!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We equip students in need by collecting & distributing free school supplies to the teachers.We serve 200 schools across 6 districts in the Charlotte region.

# data[].attributes.body
Lots of FREE resources - you can also buy resources or sell your own

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Resources & Lesson Plans | Teachers Pay Teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
World's most popular online marketplace for original educational resources with more than three million resources available for use today.

# data[].attributes.body
Reading A-Z -- approximate correlations between Fountas & Pinnell (Guided Reading Level, GRL), Reading Recovery, DRA, PM Readers, and Lexile

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This correlation chart illustrates how Learning A-Z levels approximately correlate to other leveling systems commonly found in leveled reading materials. The Learning A-Z Text Leveling System in English and Spanish uses objective (quantitative) and subjective (qualitative) leveling criteria to measure text complexity. Teachers should use their professional judgment of additional qualitative criteria along with reader and task considerations to determine if an individual book at a given level is appropriate for a student.

Criteria for Leveling Reading A-Z Books

Word count

Number of different words

Ratio of different words to total words

Number of high-frequency words

Ratio of high-frequency words to total words

Number of low-frequency words to total words

Ratio of low-frequency words to total words

Sentence length

Sentence complexity

Predictability

Language pattern and repetition

Print size, spacing, and number of words per page

Illustration support

Concept load

Topic familiarity

More about the Text Leveling System

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This correlation chart illustrates how Learning A-Z levels approximately correlate to other leveling systems commonly found in leveled reading materials. The Learning A-Z Text Leveling System in English and Spanish uses objective (quantitative) and subjective (qualitative) leveling criteria to measure text complexity.

# data[].attributes.body
APPROXIMATE correlations between Accelerated Reader (ATOS Level) and Fountas & Pinnell levels (aka, Guided Reading Level, GRL)

# data[].attributes.body
Type in text to get a "readability" score and average grade level

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Measure Text Readability - Readability and Keyword Density Analysis and Tools - Unique readability tools to improve your writing! Readable.io

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Readable.io is free to use for occasional users. For those who need a bit more power, and access to regular URL analysis, bulk processing tools, file analysis tools, readability and keyword density alerts or even a readability API, we offer paid subscription plans of various levels.