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https://www.facebook.com/tepsatalk/

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National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

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National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

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Explore these real life mathematical questions that will get your brain thinking!

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My growing list of free real world problem-based lessons for grades 2 through high school. Includes links to download multimedia and teacher guide.

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Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

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Mystery Science offers open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science. The hook, visuals, and activity have all been prepared for you. Less prep, more learning.

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Find a reason why each one does not belong to the group.

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This is Which One Doesn't Belong?, a website dedicated to providing thought-provoking puzzles for math teachers and students alike. There are no answers provided as there are many different, correct ways of choosing which one doesn't belong. Enjoy!

Which One Doesn't Belong?

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This is Which One Doesn't Belong?, a website dedicated to providing thought-provoking puzzles for math teachers and students alike. There are no answers provided as there are many different, correct ways of choosing which one doesn't belong. Enjoy!

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25 Fun Math Activities and Games to do at home

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25 Fun Math Activities and Games to do at home

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In this blog school leader and parent Emma Johnson takes a look at a number of maths games for kids you can play at home. With the assistance of her daughter Amber she tells you all about 25 different maths games for KS2 children that you can play at home to help your support your child with their learning outside of school.
Games are a fantastic way to bring the whole family together, and that is certainly the case when it comes to maths games for kids.

As well as providing some family fun, maths games have the added advantage of presenting learning opportunities in a way that means that children may not even realise they're learning!

They are a fun way to practise a wide range of mathematical skills, such as counting, place value, times tables and much much more.

Time is scarce as a parent, but it's important to make time for maths games & activities with your child!

We all know how rushed life can be and we can sometimes feel guilty we aren't spending enough time supporting our children with their learning at home.

The great thing about the games I'll be sharing with you is that many can be played at any time of day - over breakfast, on the walk to school, driving to football etc.

Whilst some maths games do take time to set up and prepare resources for, others involve no setting up time or resources.

In this blog I'll be sharing a wide range of games, from simple, short games to play when you have a quick few minutes, to longer games which everyone in the family can enjoy together.

So without further ado, lets have some maths fun!
Further reading:
Indoor maths games and activities your child can play at home

On rainy days it can be hard to persuade children to practise their maths, but these activities should have your child enjoying maths at home in no time at all!

This game is a simple at home version of the TV favourite and can be played with any number of players.
What you need to play: How to play:
Each card can only be used once and the winner is the first person to reach the total, or the player who is closest after a set length of time.

The game can be adapted for younger children, by choosing the numbers on the cards carefully and having them aiming to reach a 2-digit number, rather than a 3-digit number.

Indoor maths game 2: Salute

This simple game is all about bringing together verbalisation and maths.
What you need to play: How to play:
Indoor maths game 3: Multiplication Bingo

Bingo is something that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and this version puts a mathematical twist on this classic game.
What you need to play: How to play:
The most fun maths games and activities to do at home

One of the best ways to encourage a child to learn about anything is by making it fun, and that is exactly what these maths games are!

Fun maths game 1: Maths Problem Scavenger Hunt

All children enjoy a scavenger hunt, so why not make one based around maths?
What you need to play How to play:
Fun maths game 2: The Yes/No Game

This is another simple game that is loved by children in classrooms across the country!
What you need to play: How to play:
Fun maths game 3: Bang Bang

Bang bang is a great game for practising quick recall facts.
What you need to play: How to play
The 3 best hands on maths games and activities to do at home

Doing some hands on maths activities with your child is a great way to capture their full attention when you are doing maths at home, and these games have been created to do just that.

Hands on maths game 1: Five To One

This game not only tests children's verbalisation and problem solving skills, but it also brings an element of competition into doing maths at home, and we all know how much children love to 'win'!
What you need to play: How to play:
Hands on maths game 2: The 24 Game

This is a very simple game that will help your child practice their arithmetic skills, and it is a game they can play with a group of friends.
What you need to play:
A pack of playing cards (The number cards only)
How to play:
Hands on maths game 3: 5 Of A Kind

This is a tricky maths card game that will truly put your child's (and maybe even your) skills and knowledge to the test.
What you need to play: How to play:
If for example, the player chose a 5. They would then need to use one or more of the cards to find the answer 1, 2, 3...... To make 1, they could do 5 ÷ 5, to make 2 they could do (5 ÷ 5) + (5 ÷ 5) etc....
How Matr Makes Maths Fun For Your Child On A Weekly Basis
Here at Matr we know just how important it is to ensure that when a child is learning about maths, that they are also having fun too!

The best learning happens when children enjoy their lessons, and our fun online primary tutoring platform has been designed to make sure that every lesson is fun as well as being full of maths!

Sign up for a free trial of our online maths programmes, or find out more about how a primary school maths tutor can help your child to achieve success.

Learning about maths doesn't have to be dull when Matr is involved!

The top 3 outdoor maths games and activities to do at home

Whether you realise it or not, the great outdoors and maths go hand in hand, and these outdoor maths games and activities should serve as inspiration about how you can help your child learn maths whilst outdoors!

Outdoor maths game 1: Life Size Board Games

Board games are a fun way to spend time with the family, but have you ever thought about actually becoming part of the board game?

To help your child learn maths outside, you can easily make a life size board game and become the characters in the game.
What you need to play:

Paper plates (or even just sheets of paper will do)

A large dice (or a cube shaped box which can be made into a dice)

A dose of creativity!

How to play:
Outdoor maths game 2: Multiplication Hopscotch

Everyone knows how to play hopscotch, but by introducing maths into the mix you can take this traditional playground game to the next level.
What you need to play: How to play:
The other great thing about this game is this can be done with one person, or if friends are visiting everyone can join in and have a go.

Outdoor maths game 3: Telling The Time Activity

Time is one of those things many children find tricky, but this game will help your child tackle this topic.
What you need to play: How to play:
Some simple but fun maths dice games you can play at home

Whilst some classroom resources may be a little hard to come by at home, most family homes have a dice or two lying around. With most board games coming prepackaged with a dice, dig them out of the cupboard and re-purpose them for these fun maths dice games.
Dice maths game 1: Skunk
This is the perfect game to teach your child all about probability, and whilst it seems like it would be easy to win, your child will soon find out that this isn't the case...
What you need to play: How to play
Dice maths game 2: The Pig Dice Game

This game is similar to the skunk game, but there only needs to be one player and one dice. However, even with only one dice things will still get tense!
What you need to play: How to play:
Dice maths game 3: Triangle Tower

This game is a great way to test your child's times tables skills, and it only takes two minutes to set up!
What you need to play: How to play: Game extension idea
The game can include more challenging multiplication calculations by changing the numbers on the dice.

If one has the numbers 1-6 and the second has the number 7-12, the numbers each player has to choose from are (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 40, 42, 44, 45, 48, 50, 54, 55, 60, 66 and 72)

Alternatively, both dice marked with the numbers 7 - 12 would give the products 49, 56, 63, 64, 70, 72, 77, 80, 81, 84, 88, 90, 96, 99, 100, 108, 110, 120, 121, 132 and 144.

Fun maths card games you can play at home with your child

Along with dice, playing cards are one of the most versatile and underused maths resources that can be found in most family homes. Fortunately, these games are here to put an end to that!

Card maths game 1: The Biggest Number

Place value is a crucial skill for children to grasp during primary school, and this simple card game will help them to do that in visual and fun way.
What you need to play: How to play:
Card maths game 2: First To 100

This simple game is perfect for car journeys or the 10 minutes before dinner, and it will get your children practising their maths skills in a fun and exciting way!
What you need to play: How to play: Game extension idea
A variation on this game can be to start at 100 and keep subtracting until someone gets down to zero.

For older children, instead of adding the cards together, they can be multiplied each time, with the winner being the first to reach 1000.

Card maths game 3: Wild Jack

This is a fast paced maths card game for two or more players, where all eyes will be on the Jacks in the pack...
What you need to play: How to play:
Pen and paper maths games and activities you can do at home

There is no need for fancy equipment when it comes to these maths game. A pen/pencil and a few sheets of paper are all you need to make maths fun at home!

Pen and paper maths game 1: Battleships

This is a game that most people will be familiar with, but it just so happens to be fantastic practice for KS2 coordinates.
What you need to play: How to play:
- One ship five squares long (the aircraft carrier)

- One ship four squares long (the battleship)

- Two ships three squares long (the cruiser and submarine)

- One ship two squares long (the destroyer)

Pen and paper maths game 2: Multiplication 4 In A Row

This game does the impossible, and manages to make learning multiplication facts fun.
What you need to play: How to play:
Pen and paper maths game 3: Dots And Boxes

This maths game is a classic, and the chances are high that some parents out there would have played this themselves when they were at school.

Please note, this game can be played by drawing dots on a page, but it is easier to download square dot paper and print it out.
What you need to play: How to play:
Car games for kids: Fun road trip maths games for kids

You can put all shouts of "Are we there yettttt....." to bed with these four simple and fun maths games your children can play in the car.

Perfect for those long drives to far flung summer holiday destinations, these games have been designed to be very simple so they don't need quite as much detail as the other games in the blog!

Road trip maths game 1: Creative Counting

Simple counting games are great for younger children, with lots of opportunities for counting things they see - lorries, red cares, blue signs etc...

This could be made more challenging by changing how many points each is worth, so children could count up in twos or threes etc...

Road trip maths game 2: Guess My Number

This game can be easily adapted for any age.

Think of a number for the children to guess. Players have to ask questions with a yes or no answer in order to identify the number.

For younger children they could be given a range within which the number falls, they call out a number and are given 'higher' or 'lower until they reach it.

A more challenging version of the game would be to give players a range of clues, e.g. If the number was 50, they could give the clues 'It's an even number'. 'it's divisible by 2, 5, 10 and 25', 'it's equal to two quarters'.

Road trip maths game 3: Guess My Rule

An alternative to guessing the number, in this game players have to try and guess the rule.

Players give a number whilst the person leading the game applies a mystery rule and tells the players what the new number is.

For example: If the rule is multiply by 10, one player would give the number, e.g. 37 and they would be given the answer once the rule has been applied, so in this instance they would be given the answer of 370.

Road trip maths game 4: The 21 Game

This is a fun strategy game, played with two or more players, who take it in turns to count up from 1.

Each player can call out one, two or three consecutive numbers, before it moves to the next player to carry on counting up.

The player who ends up saying '21' is out of the game. The game then continues, counting back up from 1 to 21, until there is only one person left. They are the winner.

Maths games are all around us!

There are of course many more simple maths games which can be enjoyed at home, and they are only limited by your creativity.

Hopefully these ideas will give you a starting point, but why not get really creative and create some games of your own!
Related Articles How to help your child with maths at home How to help your child learn times tables at home Everything parents need to know about SATs How to teach your child fractions at home

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25 Fun Maths Activities And Games For Kids To Do At Home For Free!

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In this blog school leader and parent Emma Johnson takes a look at a number of maths games for kids you can play at home.

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"Sheppard offers everything from early math to pre-algebra. The lessons include interactive activities to practice concepts. Students can shoot fruit, pop balloons, and even play math man (the math version of pac man!). Fractions, place value, money, and basic operations are some of the areas that are covered. Check it out at https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math.htm. "
--Shannon Jakeman , sjakeman.blogspot.com

"Online math games, like the ones that you'll find for free at Sheppard Software, provide a valuable opportunity for children to learn a great deal while they're having fun. The games at Sheppard Software are well written, interactive and very fun to play.

It can be very difficult for parents to find productive and worthwhile activities for children on the Internet; however fun online math games do offer a wonderful alternative.

This free section of Sheppard Software was written for children. Mostly all of the material you'll find at the site is completely free for kids to use. These fun online math games cover all of the math fundamentals, including early math, basic and mixed operations, fractions, pre-algebra, dollars & cents and place value. While teachers often use worksheets to solidify the math concepts learned in the classroom, these sort of games actually have the same educational impact on the child, and the format of the examples as an exciting game keeps the child engaged, interested and coming back for more.

From the main page parents or children will find a simple and easy to navigate menu featuring the different levels of math games and the various math concepts that are available. Children from pre-k up to 8th grade will find fun online math games that teach important math skills that are appropriate for their age level.

Sheppard Software offers a couple of cute games for the youngest math students. In this game, called Bugabaloo Addition, children are shown a number of "bug shoes" on the left and the right. The game asks the child to add the two groups of shoes together, and then pick the bug with the correct number printed on it. This game teaches addition through a graphical display that lets the child see and count the shoes. With the numbers right underneath, children easily make the association between the visual cues and the act of addition.

For slightly older kids, there are a number of very popular arcade-style "popup" math games. In these games, the child is presented with a math problem and must find the creature that's holding the correct answer and smack it on the head with the hammer. The comical expression the creature makes and the sound effects make this game so fun that children will forget that they're learning math! "
--Written March 30, 2010 by Ryan Dube in Educational Freeware -- Reviews of the best learning games, software, and websites --http://www.educational-freeware.com/online/sheppard-math.aspx

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"Sheppard offers everything from early math to pre-algebra. The lessons include interactive activities to practice concepts. Students can shoot fruit, pop balloons, and even play math man (the math version of pac man!). Fractions, place value, money, and basic operations are some of the areas that are covered.

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SplashLearn: Fun Math & ELA Program for PreK-Grade 5

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SplashLearn is an award-winning learning program loved by over 40 million kids for engaging Math and ELA practice. Aligned with Common Core and various state standards.

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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History virtual tours allow visitors to take self-guided, room-by-room tours of select exhibits and areas within the museum from their desktop or mobile device. Visitors can also access select collections and research areas at our satellite support and research stations as well as past exhibits no longer on display.

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Storyline Online

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The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Daytime Emmy-nominated, Storyline Online, features celebrated actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading in millions of children worldwide.

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The Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Program has played an important role in the continued recovery of the southern sea otter population with our research, rescue, rehabilitation, and surrogacy work.

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With ten live cams to choose from, you can experience the wonder of the ocean no matter where you are. Be delighted by the antics of our sea otters or mellow out to the hypnotic drifting of our jellies. Tune in to one of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's web cams.

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Explore the Texas State Aquarium and learn about different animals

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Explore the Texas State Aquarium and learn about different animals

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Library of resources for kids, families, and teachers to make sure that reading & learning can happen anywhere!

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Hello, friends! I'm Kate Messner, a former classroom teacher, forever-educator, and the author of more than three dozen books for kids. These include picture books like Over and Under the Snow, The Brilliant Deep, and The Next President; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; the Ranger in Time historical chapter book adventures; nonfiction like Tracking Pythons and Solve This: Forensics; and novels like All the Answers, Breakout, and . I'm happy that you found your way here!

This is a library of resources for kids, families, teachers, and librarians to make sure that reading & learning can happen anywhere this spring. Some of you may be out of school as communities try to prevent the spread of a virus known as COVID-19. Here's a great page from NPR that explains what that's all about, in a kid-friendly comic. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds shares "How to Fight the New Bad Guy in Town," a PSA for kids, on the StorySeeds podcast here. And this excellent & important post from author Laurie Halse Anderson does a great job explaining why we're seeing closings (and why that's important) for older readers.

Below, you'll find a growing collection of resources that include everything from first-chapter and picture book read-alouds (all shared with permission!) to drawing and writing mini-lessons. Be sure to check back often, as new resources will be added every day. If you'd prefer to browse learning-at-home resources by age group, my daughter Ella has put together the pages below, with even more resources, organized by grade level. (Thanks, Ella!)

Resources for grades PreK-2 (ages 3-7)
Resources for grades 3-5 (ages 8-10)
Resources for grades 6-8 (ages 11-13)
Resources for grades 9-12 (ages 14+)

Many teachers & librarians have also reached out to ask about permission to read books aloud to your students via closed platforms like Google Classroom, Zoom, and unlisted YouTube links. Individual publishers have been sharing their own guidelines for online read-alouds, and you'll find a round-up of those here.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of THE NEXT PRESIDENT: THE UNEXPECTED BEGINNINGS AND UNWRITTEN FUTURE OF AMERICA'S PRESIDENTS, illustrated by Adam Rex. Writing challenge: After the read-aloud, write your own presidential platform. What changes would you make to your country if you were in charge?

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of OVER AND UNDER THE POND, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal (shared with permission from Chronicle Books). After the read-aloud, look out your window - or step outside if you can - and see what hidden nature you notice!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of THE BRILLIANT DEEP: REBUILDING THE WORLD'S CORAL REEFS illustrated by Matt Forsythe. After the read-aloud, check out the Coral Restoration Foundation website. Learn more about the threats coral reefs are facing from NASA's Climate Kids page, and check out this page about how kids can help our oceans. Challenge: Make a poster or drawing to teach people about how we can all help coral and other sea creatures!

OVER AND UNDER THE RAINFOREST, Kate's book with illustrator Christopher Silas Neal doesn't come out until August, but we got special permission to share an early read-aloud! After the story, check out this page with more information on the wildlife of Costa Rica, where Kate did most of the research for this book. Writing challenge: Write a short article to teach people about your favorite rainforest animal!

Tracey Baptiste, the author of The Jumbies series, shares a mini-lesson on comparative mythology. She talks through how creatures from different mythologies have traits in common and encourages kids to find those similarities in the mythologies they come across. She's also sharing some reading resources such as D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, The Element Encyclopedia of Mythical Creatures, and her own Jumbies Field Guide available at her website.

Author Debbi Michiko Florence shares a read-aloud excerpt of her chapter book JASMINE TOGUCHI FLAMINGO KEEPER, along with a writing prompt (and a peek at a real daruma doll)!

Author Leah Henderson shares a first chapter read-aloud of her middle grade novel THE MAGIC IN CHANGING YOUR STARS. Writing Challenge: Find out who Ailey Benjamin Lane is named after. (Hint: His first name comes from an African-American dancer & choreographer with the initials A.A. His middle name comes from an African-American farmer & naturalist who searches out the stars and who created an almanac in 1792. This person's initials are B.B.) Who could they be?

Author-illustrator Jarrett Lerner shares tips and techniques to help you draw ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!

Veera Hiranandani, author of the Newbery Honor winning book The Night Diary, The Whole Story of Half a Girl, and The Phoebe G. Green series offers a diary writing prompt to help you get to know your characters and create an inspired story!

Author Jason Reynolds shares a read-aloud from his MG novel, GHOST. In this chapter, the main character talks about world records, so after the read-aloud, check out this page from the Guiness Book of World Records, with some records you can try to break at home!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from TRACKING PYTHONS: THE QUEST TO CATCH AN INVASIVE PREDATOR AND SAVE AN ECOSYSTEM. After the read-aloud, you can learn more about invasive species from National Geographic and the National Wildlife Foundation. Also check out this article from New York State Conservationist Kids!

Kate also shared this article about the python scientists, with photos and infographics.

Author & illustrator Grace Lin teaches viewers how to draw a Chinese Dragon and shares some tidbits about Chinese culture! You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Author Carole Lindstrom shares a read-aloud of WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS.

Author Jo Knowles reads from the first chapter of her MG novel WHERE THE HEART IS and offers students a fun writing exercise! For more about Jo and her books, or for teachers/book group guides that go along with her books, visit her website.

Kelley McMorris, who illustrates the RANGER IN TIME chapter book series, shares a video about how she illustrates a book cover. After you watch, try using Kelley's process to design a new cover for one of your favorite books!

Author and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi shares a read-aloud of her picture book WHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, gives a drawing demo and challenges young readers to create their own imaginative squirrels, and shares a crowd-sourced "Where Are My Books?" music video. You can find lots of free, print-ready activities and other fun bonus info at https://www.debbieohi.com/wamb

Author Erin Entrada Kelly gives a peek into the notebooks for several of her novels, including HELLO, UNIVERSE. Writing challenge: What's in your notebook? Take a little time to write in it today, inspired by Erin's ideas!

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a read-aloud of the first chapters of STRANDED. Writing challenge: Choose a wilderness setting of your own - the Arctic, the desert, the rainforest - and imagine you're stranded there. How will you survive? Write an imaginary journal documenting your adventure. Check out these wilderness survival skills from Outdoor Life for ideas!

Author Nikki Grimes shares poetry selections from WORDS WITH WINGS. Writing challenge: Try writing your own poem today, in the style of one of Nikki's read-alouds! For more of Nikki's read-aloud videos and lessons, check out her YouTube Channel here.

Author Ann Braden shares a read-aloud excerpt from THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS. Note: the octopus is a pretty amazing creature, so after the read-aloud, read up on them at this page from National Geographic Kids!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRT, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. After the read-aloud, read more about helpful insects here and check out these garden activities from KidsGarden!

Author Sarah Albee shares a STEM mystery, "Did the Doctor Do It?" as part of her series exploring the science and intrigue of poison throughout history. Check out more of Sarah's Poison videos here.

Middle grade and Young adult author, Paula Chase offers a mini-writing exercise to help students build stories around their unique traits.

Author Nancy Castaldo reads some of BACK FROM THE BRINK with tips how we can all use our voices through our writing to make a difference. Here's the link to the reader's guide for more activities.

Author Debbi Michiko Florence shares an early read-aloud excerpt of her upcoming MG novel KEEP IT TOGETHER KEIKO CARTER, along with a writing prompt!

Author & illustrator Grace Lin shares the first story from her early reader, "Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same!" You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from RANGER IN TIME: RESCUE ON THE OREGON TRAIL. Writing challenge: Choose your favorite event in history and imagine how a search and rescue dog might be able to help out. Then so some research about your historical event, and write your own story about Ranger's adventures there!

Christina Soontornvat shares how she came up with the idea for her new middle grade fantasy novel, A WISH IN THE DARK. Writing challenge: Use Christina's model to brainstorm your own list of ideas for stories that might be inspired by a classic tale! And check out more videos from Christina here!

Author KA Holt reads an excerpt from her forthcoming middle grade novel-in-verse, BEN BEE AND THE TEACHER GRIEFER.

Author Mae Respicio reads a few pages from her upcoming middle grade novel, Any Day With You, and shares a quick, fun writing prompt. Writing challenge: Imagine you've been planning a beach day with your best friends. You're so excited to go but when you get there... everything goes wrong and not the way you expected it to! Describe what happens.

Author Elly Swartz shares tips on how to use the emotion in your life to create authentic characters! Writing challenge: Take a few minutes to journal about a day when you felt an especially strong emotion - joy or fear or excitement! How might you use those emotions in a fictional story?

Author Lisa Yee drinks water, reads the first chapter of Millicent Min, Girl Genius, and fumbles when she comes across a couple of lines in Latin. Writing challenge: Try rewriting a scene from this chapter from the point of view of another character!

Award-Winning author Michelle Cusolito shares a writing mini-lesson to help writers add more sensory details to their writing. You can find more resources related to Michelle's book FLYING DEEP: CLIMB INSIDE DEEP-SEA SUBMERSIBLE ALVIN here.

Author-illustrator Lita Judge shares a video about how a sketching trip inspired one of her picture books! After you watch, take your own mini-sketching trip. Go to your kitchen or your bedroom, your porch or your backyard, and sketch what you see. Observe closely!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from CHIRP, a mystery for kids that's set on a cricket farm! After the read aloud, you can learn more about entomophagy (eating insects as food!) from CBS Kids, and check out a real cricket farm's website!

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a video mini-lesson on how to create a good beginning for a story!

And another video writing workshop from Chris, called Four Elements of Character. (This is an 8-minute video where you pause & write sometimes, so the full activity will take about half an hour. Recommended for writers ages 10 and up.)

Author Aisha Saeed shares a read-aloud of her picture book, BILAL COOKS DAAL, along with a related activity!

Author Emily Jenkins shares a read-aloud of A GREYHOUND, A GROUNDHOG.

Author Lisa Schroeder shares a read-aloud excerpt from her MG novel MY SECRET GUIDE TO PARIS, along with a writing exercise!

Author Janet Fox shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of her MG novel THE ARTIFACT HUNTERS. Writing challenge: Try writing a short scene of your own in which something unexpected happens!

Author & illustrator Jess Keating shares some thoughts on where ideas for stories come from! (This is part of a series Jess shares on writing & you can find more on her YouTube channel.)

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a read-aloud of the first chapters of MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE, co-written with James Paterson.

Poet Charles Waters shares poetry from DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD (by Charles Waters and Irene Latham)

Author Abby Cooper reads the first chapter of her middle grade novel, FRIEND OR FICTION.

Author Lynn Plourde shares some tips on starting an observation notebook!

Author-illustrator James Burks shares a video lesson on how to draw Squirrel from his graphic novel series, Bird and Squirrel!

Author Kristen Larson shares an engineering design activity based on her book WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane.

Author Liz Garton Scanlon shares a video lesson on writing am ETHEREE - a ten line poem in which each line is one syllable longer than the last.

Author-illustrator Karen Romano Young shares a video doodling tutorial. You can also check out Karen's #AntarcticLog comics, a weekly series of comics about Antarctica - as well as the Arctic and anyplace where climate change is being studied.

Author KA Holt reads an excerpt from her novel-in-verse, HOUSE ARREST. Mini-lesson: listen for as many poetic devices as you can find (metaphor, simile, assonance, hyperbole, etc.)

Author Jennifer Roy shares a video read-aloud from her historical novel YELLOW STAR, along with a writing prompt about looking for symbols of hope in tough times, recommended for ages 10 and up.

Author Laurel Snyder shares some thoughts on fiction and making up stories, along with a read-aloud of CHARLIE AND MOUSE OUTDOORS.

Author Caroline Starr Rose reads her picture book, A RACE AROUND THE WORLD: THE TRUE STORY OF NELLIE BLY AND ELIZABETH BISLAND. When you've finished listening, visit the article, How to Pack Like Pioneering Journalist Nellie Bly, Who Circumnavigated the Globe in 1889 with Just a Small Duffle Bag, to see what Nellie brought on her journey. Challenge: Plan your own trip around the world. What would you like to see? Where would you like to visit? Mark these places on a map.

Author Corinne Demas shares a read-aloud of THE DISAPPEARING ISLAND.

Author Lauren Tarshis shares a read-aloud of the first two chapters of I SURVIVED THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC. After the read-aloud, check out this link to read about Robert Ballard, the oceanographer whose team discovered the wreck of the Titanic more than seventy years after it sank.

Author & poet Nikki Grimes shares poems about one of her favorite cakes, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, along with five steps to creating your very own poem about your favorite food! For more of Nikki's read-aloud videos and lessons, check out her YouTube Channel here.

Author Sarah Aronson shares a read-aloud of JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG. And here's a FlipGrip page where kids can share their projects and ask questions.

Author Chelsea Clinton shares an excerpt from her book START NOW: YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Author Bruce Hale shares a read aloud of BIG BAD BABY.

Writing Challenge: Write about the same experience in multiple ways (letters, poems, illustrations, and screenplay).

Bonus challenge: Write positive affirmations for your family members.

Author Sayantani DasGupta shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of THE SERPENT'S SECRET.

Author Deborah Underwood reads INTERSTELLAR CINDERELLA (illustrated by Meg Hunt) and gives kids a mini-lesson on how to write their own fractured fairy tales.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRT and answers questions from kids in a "Family Book Club" video recorded earlier this year (thanks to Read-Aloud Revival for making this recording publicly available for learning at home this spring!)

Author-illustrator Brian Biggs shares a read-aloud of his EVERYTHING GOES board books.

Author Jessica Young shares a read-aloud of HAGGIS AND TANK (illustrated by James Burks) with a mini-lesson on sound words.

Author-illustrator Brandon Reese shares a read-aloud of his picture book CAVE DADA. And here's a link to download a coloring page, too!

Here's a fun challenge from author Laurel Snyder ... She's written a brand new book, but doesn't have any pictures for it. Will you help? She'll read you the story of The Beastly Collective, and you'll draw your favorite animals, while she teaches you some brand new words!

Author Christine Evans shares a read-aloud of Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist, illustrated by Yasmin Imamura.

Author and illustrator Grace Lin shares a chapter from her book, The Year of the Dog. You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Grace Lin teaches families how to draw a dog from the number 5 (just like in The Year of the Dog!)

Amy Guglielmo, co-author of POCKET FULL OF COLORS shares a read-aloud of her picture book biography of Disney artist Mary Blair. Art challenge: Collect a rainbow of colorful objects inside or outside as a fun follow up activity. Take part in the "Rainbow Hunt," and draw a picture of a rainbow to post in your window for neighbors to see on their daily walks.

Author Kerry O'Malley Cerra demonstrates an easy tool students can use to summarize. This tip can also be used for writers as chapter checks!

Japanese American author, Kathleen Burkinshaw reads a chapter from her MG historical fiction, The Last Cherry Blossom based on events in her mom's life as a 12 yr old in Hiroshima during WWII. Also learn a little about her mom's favorite Japanese folk tale. You can find a Discussion Guide on her website www.kathleenburkinshaw.co

Newbery Award winning author Meg Medina shares a writing lesson on Creating Tension.

Kerry Madden shares a read-aloud of ERNESTINE'S MILKY WAY.

Author Buffy Silverman shares On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring and a little science show-and-tell.

Author Diane Zahler shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of The Marvelwood Magicians and a writing prompt.

Abigail Rayner shares a read-aloud of The Backup Bunny.

Michelle Cusolito reads aloud her book Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Submersible ALVIN (illustrated by Nicole Wong) while Jeff Angeley of Southcoast Lessons provides live musical accompaniment. You can find more resources related to Flying Deep here.

Author Meg Fleming shares a read-aloud of her picture book, Sometimes Rain.

S.K. Ali, co-author of THE PROUDEST BLUE, shares directions for making a paper boat.

The niece and nephew of Cedella Marley read her book, Get Up, Stand Up, a picture book adaptation of one of Bob Marley's beloved songs that has a timely message for children: To counter injustice, lift others up with kindness and courage.

Author Lisa Yee talks about Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and reads passages from the book. Writing prompt for today: Do you think boys and girls can be friends?

Would you rather be an #astronaut or #aquanaut? Perhaps you need more info to decide. Check out Jen Swanson's video below. Then make your choice and draw a picture of your suit!

Author Jo Watson Hackl Shows How to Take Your Reading to the Next Level by Exploring the Natural World of Your Characters.

Author Heather L. Montgomery reads-aloud chapters from SOMETHING ROTTEN: A FRESH LOOK AT ROADKILL.

Author Heather Shumaker offers a weekly author chat called Fiction Friday. She shares tips and ideas for writing fiction, reads a short excerpt from her middle grade novel The Griffins of Castle Cary, adds in a mini writing lesson, a few corny jokes, and encouragement to young writers and readers.

Author Christina Diaz Gonzalez talks about finding writing inspiration from your own family history (video is in English and then in Spanish).

Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of HOW TO READ A STORY, illustrated by Mark Siegel & shared with permission from Chronicle Books.

Author Kimberly Derting shares a read-aloud of CECE LOVES SCIENCE with permission from HarperCollins.

Author & science teacher Anne Ruppert shares a try-it-at-home fingerprinting activity from SOLVE THIS: FORENSICS (by Kate Messner & Anne Ruppert, published by National Geographic)

Author Jacqueline West shares a read-aloud from The Shadows, volume one of her bestselling MG fantasy/mystery series The Books of Elsewhere, along with a writing activity for you (and possibly your pet!) that will help you think about character and dialogue. For more info and other videos, visit her website! www.jacquelinewest.com.

Author Carter Higgins shares a read-aloud of BIKES FOR SALE with permission from Chronicle Books.

Author Deborah Underwood reads FINDING KINDNESS, illustrated by Irene Chan (Godwin Books/Macmillan, 2019).

Author Melanie Crowder reads a chapter from her middle grade novel, Three Pennies, and shares a quick and easy craft to go with it. Writing Challenge: Think of one of your favorite books-does an animal make an appearance in the story? In Three Pennies, the author writes several chapters from the point of view of an owl (named Owl). Try to add a chapter to that favorite book you've got in mind, writing from the point of view of an animal in that story.

Author Cynthia Levinson reads The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Kids for permission.

Loree Griffin Burns, author of books like Citizen Scientists and the upcoming picture book You're Invited to a Moth Ball, shares her favorite book of all time: The Flora and Fauna of Hosmer Street. It's not a book she wrote, but rather one she made with her three kids. For one year, Loree, Sam, Ben, and Cat committed themselves to getting to know their animal neighbors; what they found surprised them. In this video, Loree show listeners a few of their best finds (garter snake! walking stick! a skeleton!), what they learned (the more you look, the more you see!) and, of course, how to start creating The Flora and Fauna of Your Place.

Many people have heard of the secret network that helped many enslaved blacks escape to freedom in the North called the Underground Railroad. But how many of you have heard about the Overground Railroad? Author Lesa Cline-Ransome reads from her book, The Overground Railroad, illustrated by her husband, James Ransome.

Author Kathleen Blasi reads HOSEA PLAYS ON, which depicts a day in the life of street musician Hosea Taylor, who made his community better, with his open-hearted giving. After the read-aloud, you can take a look at the newspaper article that inspired Kathleen to learn more about Hosea Taylor and served as the research springboard for HOSEA PLAYS ON.

Author Laya Steinberg reads her picture book THE BEST SUKKOT PUMPKIN EVER and shares a seed planting activity.

Author Jewell Parker Rhodes shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of GHOST BOYS.

Roy Freeman shares a read-aloud of CORDUROY, written and illustrated by his father, Don Freeman.

Author Nancy Tupper Ling shares a read-aloud, along with a lesson on how to make a list poem about your favorite place in the world.

Author Sarah Scheerger reads her picture book, Mitzvah Pizza, and shares a story about the real-life pay-it-forward pizza place that inspired the story. Classroom activities for the story are found here.

Writing Lessons! Many families are using this time at home to work on writing projects that range from stories and poems to special interest research reports and even novels. Here are some craft lessons from authors to help with ideas & strategies!
Author Meg Medina shares a video lesson on creating tension. Author Jennifer Torres shares a mini-workshop on setting with a video and pages to download. Here's a lesson from author Paula Chase on writing dual points of view. Author Josephine Cameron shares creative writing tips about how choosing the perfect setting can help you shape the character, plot, and relationships in your story.
Additional Resources:

Want to see even more author & illustrator videos? Check out the Authors Everywhere YouTube channel, created by Susan Tan!

Check out STEM Tuesday from The Mixed of Files of MG Authors blog for weekly book lists, interviews, and activities.

Want to try writing some poetry today? Joyce Sidman shares an amazing collection of ideas to get you started.

Here's another poetry lesson from Kathryn Apel - writing a didactic cinquain!

If you're stuck at home, it's a great time to start a writer's notebook! Author & Poet Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has a whole collection of posts from different writers, called "Sharing Our Notebooks." Check it out -so many ideas here!

Author Madelyn Rosenberg shares a collection of writing prompts here.

Here's a collection of video mini-lessons from nonfiction author Melissa Stewart - great for teaching informational writing, including research, text features, text structure, rich language, voice, and revision.

Author & poet Laura Shovan shares a collection of poetry mini-lessons on her website!

The folks at Middle Grade at Heart share a list of MG novels with discussions questions & related activities here.

Author Victoria Coe has a playlist of writing lessons for kids with 25 lessons.

Author Sarah Darer Littman offers short readings and writing prompts on her website.

On the Kids Ask Authors podcast, you can hear author/illustrator Grace Lin and a guest author answer a kid question! Kids can submit their own book reviews, poems or jokes! https://www.kidsaskauthors.com Subscribe to the podcast here: http://ow.ly/8OPg30qr7WD

Erica S. Perl (@ericaperl) is doing a weekly Instagram live author event called "Winging It with Erica S. Perl" featuring read-alouds, writing prompts, and occasional shakings of a tail feather. Tune in every Tuesday at 2 pm EST and wish her good cluck!

The KidLit TV team, a group of diverse children's book authors and illustrators, has created a virtual library of FREE read aloud, drawing & writing tutorials, podcasts, art activities + reading resources for kids. https://kidlit.tv

Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author & illustrator, shares daily drawing lessons on his YouTube channel.

Author Kathryn Hulick invites you to investigate a ghost story as a scientist, based on her book STRANGE BUT TRUE.

New Books to Check Out!

In case you're missing your weekly trip to the library or bookstore, we also want to let you know about some new books out this spring!

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Read, Wonder, and Learn! Favorite Authors & Illustrators Share Resources for Learning Anywhere - Spring 2020

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Hello, friends! I'm Kate Messner, a former classroom teacher, forever-educator, and the author of more than three dozen books for kids. These include picture books like Over and Under the Snow, The Brilliant Deep, and The Next President ; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; the Ranger in Time historical chapter book adventures; nonfiction like Tracking Pythons and Solve This: Forensics ; and novels like All the Answers, Breakout , and .

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Tune in to our Houston Zoo Webcams and enjoy a live look at animals that call Houston Zoo home! See the herd of Asian elephants wander through their enormous habitat. Watch as giraffes nibble lettuce fed to them by guests at the feeding platform; you could join them on your next visit. See the rhinos roll in their mud puddle or the flamingos float next to a waterfall. See the chimpanzees interact with guests at their window or snooze in a hammock.

Learn how you can support the Zoo's animal care, education, and wildlife-saving programs through our Houston Zoo Fund.

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Tune in to our Houston Zoo Webcams and enjoy a live look at animals that call Houston Zoo home! See the herd of Asian elephants wander through their enormous habitat. Watch as giraffes nibble lettuce fed to them by guests at the feeding platform; you could join them on your next visit.

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National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

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A digital library containing Java applets and activities for K-12 mathematics

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NASA brings you images, videos and features from the unique perspective of America's space agency. Get updates on missions, watch NASA TV, read blogs, view the latest discoveries, and more.

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Remote Learning: At-Home Teaching Support with i-Ready

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This is a unique year of teaching and learning. As teachers, students, and families navigate different learning contexts and constantly adapt to change, we are here to help.

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Arcademics - Math Games, Language Arts Games, and More

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Fun and free educational games for kids in K-8. Featuring multiplayer learning games, math games, language arts games, and much more!

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Reflex : Math fact fluency - Problem Solved!

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Adaptive and individualized, ExploreLearning Reflex is the most effective system for mastering basic facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Full access for one teacher and 35 classroom students.

Student management features.

Usage and fluency growth reporting.

Anytime, anywhere access for both the teacher and students.

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Reflex : The math fact fluency system that really works ... and that students absolutely love.

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Adaptive and individualized, ExploreLearning Reflex is the most effective system for mastering basic facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Full access for one teacher and 35 classroom students. Student management features. Usage and fluency growth reporting. Anytime, anywhere access for both the teacher and students.

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Create a meal using the recipes provided by the site.

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Nomster Chef | Recipes for Kids | Fun food recipes for kids to make for healthy eating

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Recipes for kids, picture recipes for kids, recipe picture books, recipes for preschoolers, food recipes for kids, recipes for kids to make, fun recipes for kids, baking recipes for kids, recipes for children, easy meals for kids, kids cook, healthy kid friendly recipes, dinner recipes for kids, goo

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150+ Educational Shows on Netflix - Homeschool Hideout

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Sick of shows that don’t stimulate your mind? Check out our list of over 150 educational shows on Netflix! Use them in your homeschool or just for fun!