What are some good themes for this time of year?

This can be a hard time of year to choose a theme for. We're not really into fall here, but we're finished with "Welcome Back."

I like the County Fair at this time of year, and North Star has a new Ferris Wheel bulletin board set. This isn't in our catalog yet, but you can always call or email us and we'll pop it in the mail to you.

I also like farm themes for this time of year.

There are lots of farm theme materials, like this book from Evan-Moor. Another great farm theme choice is the Carson Delossa farm bulletin board. This is a classic, and it's not only good on the bulletin board. It also makes terrific big books, stick puppets, and literacy manipulatives.

These ideas ought to tide you over till fall!

Who are the people at A Plus?

Here they are, the lovely ladies of A Plus in their jammies for the Midnight Madness sale!

Why should I shop at A Plus?

Now this is another question nobody has asked me. Who would be that impolite? But the truth is, we know that you have lots of places you can shop. So I want to tell you why A Plus is my favorite store:

• A Plus Educational Supply has the best selection, online and in the store.
• The girls are the craziest AND the most helpful. Both at once.
• Owner Cindy is a teacher herself, so she knows what you need. When you ask about Four Blocks, they're not going to show you wooden blocks.
• When you send your purchase order to A Plus, A Plus will deliver it for free in Northern or Northwest Arkansas, and have it all divided and wrapped up, too. Leverett School loved that -- they had ordered from someone else before, and had to call in extra help to get their stuff sorted out.
• If you're not in our neck of the woods, you can order at our online catalog and get the same great service and selection.

Try it -- you'll like it!

Are you guys going dotty from Back to School?

Maybe we are going just a little bit dottie here at A Plus Educational, but that's a GOOD thing!

Look how cute the new Polka Dots from Teacher Created are! If you're still getting your classroom set up, you should think about going a little dottie yourself.

These goodies are so fresh that they're not in our online catalog yet. You can still get them from us -- call, email, fax, add it into the comments section of your online order, or just waltz on in (and maybe that should be polka on in) and pick 'em up.

From the catalog, we also have Lasting Lessons totally cute polka dots

(those go so well with my dress!) and lots of dots from CTP's Poppin Patterns collection, too:

These are perfect for that one last bulletin board that still has to go up!

Not that you asked...

I admit that you didn't exactly ask for more more more on the elections, but this is a such a great opportunity to use a patriotic theme for Back to School that I have to share some more of the coolest stuff in the store.

Harcourt's Cast Your Vote! series is a bestseller at A Plus Educational, and no wonder! It's very complete -- open it up and you've got your lesson planned.

Check out a list of technology links on the subject, too.

Then pick out a patriotic border:

cut-outs:

and name plates:

to really set the mood.

What's new for teaching about the elections?

It's less than 100 days till the elections! We'll all have the opportunity to vote, to be part of the democratic process, to express our opinions and help to lead our nation on to further greatness!
Okay; those of you with thumbs will have that opportunity.
It's also a great opportunity to teach geography, math, and citizenship. And it's an opportunity we have only once every four years, so we should take advantage of it.
Just look at all the keen stuff A Plus Educational has for teaching about elections!
The Classroom Elections Kit lets you simulate the whole election process in your classroom.

Teacher's Friend also has an Elections Activity Kit with a ballot box and an activity book.

The Election Time chart has lots of instructional potential. Fill in the dates and details for primaries, debates, conventions, and the election itself.
CTP's Election Bulletin Board Set explains the whole process. This mini set will work on a project board, too, to set up with the ballot box if you're going with a simulation.
There are books from a numbrer of different publishers with reproducibles. One of my favorites is Teacher Created's Elections.

As always with TCR, the book has lots of information and loads of hands-on ideas. It makes a great combo with the election simulation kits above. Bring on the bunting!

What can we do about testing?

We had a little visitor last week: a child going into kindergarten this month. He was excited about it, of course. There's no feeling like that again till they start driving. We told him we hoped he'd have a good year and that we knew he'd be a great student.
"I will be," he said confidently. "I'll bring you my scores."
Does your heart sink just a little at that?
Doing well on the test has become so much the focus of our classrooms that it overshadows learning how to read, making friends, riding the school bus, and all the other new experiences kids used to look forward to.
As teachers, what can we do?

• Keep it in perspective. Doing well on the test is important for the school, but it shouldn't be our students' measure of themselves. It shouldn't be our measure of our value as teachers, either. We may have to remind ourselves of that more often.
• Maintain that sense of pride. Our little visitor wasn't scared of the test. He was confident and proud to be taking it. Instead of saying, "If you don't pay attention, you're not going to do well on the test!" we can say, "This is hard, but we can get it. Then we'll ace that test!"
• Prepare. A Plus Educational has materials for the SAT 10 and the Iowa, as well as general testing skills books. Come visit us and let us help you find just the right book for your classroom, or for your own kids!