Pages

Friday, October 30, 2015

Maximize Classroom Learning with Games


Maximize Classroom Learning with Games
Latism '15

Panelists:
  • José Villeta, Senior Director, Disney Interactive
  • Gabriel Adauto, Technical Co-Founder, Motion Math

Moderator:
  • Melanie Mendez-Gonzalez, blogger & founder of ¿Qué Means What?
Games, when used purposefully and thoughtfully can be a powerful tool. It has the potential to spark student engagement and enhance learning. Join this interactive session on maximizing students’ learning with top Latino Education Gamers and learn how to measure results, and realize that teaching should be at the heart of this innovation.

José Villeta started working for NASA after graduating from MIT. He quit to make his own video games for 12 years, then was hired by Disney, where he has worked for the last six years.

Villeta has worked on the Infinity game from the beginning. Putting it together was not an easy task as he had to get permission from companies such as Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, for using all the different characters as toys. Their goal is to create interactive moments as Disney memories. Infinity is played by millions of users worldwide. It's a family game that parents can play too. The appeal is that kids use their own imagination to play.

Gabriel Adauto is the CTO and co-cofounder at Motion Math. The games are designed for kids in K - 6th and target math's most difficult concepts at those levels. Adauto has a Masters degree in Computer Science from Stanford. He started with an app studio which has expanded into 9 games and is now growing into a learning company. Their games have special appeal for their teacher dashboard to help educators understand what their students are learning. The team has also been thoughtful with the design; the math is the challenge of the game, it's not hidden. They are now focused on researching the efficacy of the games, measuring the learning.

Mendez-Gonzalez asked both of them how they determine if a game is successful?

Villeta said that they measure the success of a game by play time. They want users to play a game for a long time, not play and finish it after a few hours. And, of course, sales and engagement determine if the games are successful.

Adauto said that sales measure success. But they want to go deeper. Learning game developers are interested in the learning what happens in games, so they are working to get an academic to do an efficacy study. Adauto said, "We know we help the kids with fraction learning by 15%, but more importantly, kids' attitudes about math improve by 10%. Attitudes are a better indicator of a kids' performance. We're looking to improve their attitudes toward math." He says that video games have the power to engage, empower, and excite kids. Adauto also said that micro-assessments are inserted into the games.

Villeta also talked about how they have to train the educators on how to use their games in their classrooms. He's helped write curricula for schools to integrate these tools.

Adauto said that they go into classrooms to test learning and get ideas from teachers for difficult concepts, and they develop activities to complement the games. Understanding the application and explaining the equations are important.

Villeta also mentioned how we have to think of education with higher education, too, not just K-12.

Adauto said that Motion Math is a small company and competition with bigger companies is fierce. So it is important to work with college students to think about all the different aspects that are involved.

Mendez-Gonzalez asked them what kind of feedback do they get from their consumers and how they use that information.

Villeta shared how he took his 8 year old into the office every Friday when he was developing Infinity so he could get his son's feedback while he was playing the game. "We're creating storytellers," Villeta said. "We give them the tools - characters, settings, etc. - then leave the direction and content up to them."

Adauto said that the kid is the most important person in the equation; they drive their own learning. "We want them to take control of their own paths. We want the kids to choose the path they are on and decide if they are on the right path for themselves."

Mendez-Gonzalez asked Adauto why he chose math as the subject for his games, and Adauto said that math is the language of the video games. "I use math every single day to make the games. In our STEAM economy it is the basis of computer science."

Mendez-Gonzalez asked how they chose what area of learning to explore. Villeta said that lots of variables impacted their development; new releases (movies) influence our subjects, and recently they've discovered that close to 50% of their players are female, so they developed strong female characters. He also mentioned that their gamers are growing older. So they've created 130 characters on Infinity for all of their players to choose from and then the player can create their own story or use one of the ones provided.

Adauto said they are keeping Spanish-speaking families in mind and that their top four games are in Spanish and English, plus other languages. He said that they kept this in mind when they hired their Chilean developor.

Villeta said that Infinity is available in 12 languages, including both Castilian and Latin American Spanish. The challenge is making sure they have the correct voice over actors for their Castilian Spanish because Spain assigns one person to do all of the voice overs for any given actor.

Probably the best moment in this panel is when a young boy around 11 years old in the audience shared his coding skills with us. He stood up and showed us how he had created a moving pikachu (animal) on Scratch, a free project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Educational Equity for English Language Learners

Ana de Sousa



Today I have the wonderful opportunity to attend the LATISM '15 conference in DC. This is always one of my favorite conferences because there is such a strong focus on education for Latinos. Below is the information I learned at the first Education track breakout session and I know it will be of interest to many of you.

Educational Equity for English Language Learners

Panelists:

  • Milady C. Baez, New York City Department of Education
  • Minnie Cardona, Seminole County Public Schools
  • Gladys Marquez, NEA

Gaps in English Language Learners’ achievement exist across the nation, within communities, and in our schools. This session aims to elicit strategies to engage English Language Learners (ELLs) students in academic learning and English language development. Learn how to create classrooms and a school environment that facilitate language learning and motivate ELLs to practice academic language skills structured to demonstrate growing proficiency.

As the fastest growing populations what are some of the challenges English-language learners face. Marquez said the number of ELL enrollment has grown 57% and that by 2025, 1 in 4 will have been or be in an ELL classroom. However, funding dollars per student have decreased. And it is hard to find quality educators in front of the students who understand their unique needs.

Baez said that New York is focused on narrowing the achievement gap. Most ELL students start in the 10th percentile. The reality is that the school year for an ELL student is 15 months, not 10 months as with general education students. They find these extra 5 months in after school programs, weekend, and other ways.

She said that the most highly effective program is a Dual Language program. Most of the ELLs receive instruction is ESL, then transitional bilingual, then go into general education. Many drop out of school, fall through the cracks, and don't enter college.

So DL programs have become the main focus for NYC. Last year, 40 new DL programs were implemented. Training for the teachers, to create a program that is valuable. They see that a minimum of one year to do planning and train teachers/adminisrators. They anticipate opening 45 additional DL programs this year. They also want ELLs to have access to STEM programs, so 20 schools are going to be part of STEM initiatives because language should not be a barrier, should have accessibility to STEM initiatives.

The mayor of NYC says that equity and excellence in education will be what drives them in NYC. (The mayor is in charge of education for all students in NYC.) He wants all students to have access to computer science in next 10 years and has dedicated $81 million from public and private so all the students will have computer access. They want to focus on closing the achievement gap for ELLs. 

Cardona said the challenge is trying to find highly qualified teachers and asked, "How do we position ELLs to have access to 20th century skills?"

Marquez said that schools are ill-equipped to meet needs of students. Some of the poorest districts don't have the access because they live in the wrong zip code, so poverty has a lot to do with how districts prioritize and fund our students.

Baez said that even when computers are in classrooms, they aren't utilized by teachers who aren't trained on how to use them. We put in the software, but don't train teachers. They are now making a major effort teacher training. Professional development now has to go hand-in-hand with purchased software/technology. Because computers can give students who speak 160 different languages ability to access education.

Marquez said that we need to do a better job of inclusion and advocating for ALL students and develop culturally responsive teaching practices.

According to Baez, bilingual teachers work double than English teachers. They plan lessons, extra materials, they translate for lack of resources, however they get paid the same. There is no incentive for bilingual ed teachers so few people want to become a bilingual ed teacher. NYC is revamping this because it is not fair, many children don't want to become teachers (low pay), they want to create a new generation of teachers, we need higher salaries for teachers in bilingual programs, create more support, and make it more inviting. Right now, you do it because that's your passion, not for the money.

Cardona asked the panelists what strategies they found to be effective.

Marquez strongly feels that it is important to maintain a rigorous standard and have high expectations for the students. She explains to them that they have to learn the exact same things the general ed students do, but in a way that they will learn it best. 

Baez declared that cooperative learning is a must. Latino kids like to work in teams and share the productivity and want to be given specific roles. The work gets done in a project-based manner.

She also focused on vocabulary development and explained that this is not done in the same way as for gen ed learners. It is known that there are seven steps that work for ELLs, and it is critical to  maintain the fidelity of the program and work the steps. But because bilingual teachers are stretched out and have to prepare the class to take the standardized tests, they jump the steps instead, which has a negative impact.

Cardona asked, "How do we do professional development and support teachers?"

Marquez said that they have regular meetings where lead teachers share types of strategies, are encouraged to be slow and engaging. She also said that gen ed and bilingual ed teachers need to go into each other's classrooms to experience both sides so they can be supportive of each other's needs.

Baez emphasized how our teachers need to learn how to meet the educational needs of Latino students.

Cardona asked what can we do at the national/state/local level to ensure that ELLs have equal access to education.

Baez and Marquez both discussed No Child Left Behind's impact. They asked why are we giving ELL's standardized tests when they haven't mastered English yet? They simply can't give the results that the gen ed students can. What message are we giving them? It takes 5-7 years for a child to master English. We're labeling them as failures by giving them tests in a language they have yet to master. 

In addition, teachers are penalized according to their student's performance on the tests. So teachers don't want to be bilingual teachers. NYC has requested a waiver for delivering tests to ELLs, but they've been denied. So they are requesting it again.

Cardona shared that Florida was denied the first time, too, but has now been approved. It's a bill. Two years or more state assessments won't be held against their ELLs.

Marquez said that No Child Left Behind is referred to by teachers as "No Teacher Left Standing." She said that toxic testing is detrimental to the profession and to the students. She gave an example of a student she had from Ecuador who arrived in September and by February was having to take the English test. His experience is not unique. The experience is an emotional and mental blow for ELLs.

Baez said, unfortunately, policies aren't made by educators and they are a hindrance more than a help.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Calavera Poetry Writing Activity


One of my favorite things to do is to create printable activities that I can use with my children and share them with MommyMaestra readers. I focus on culture and my heritage because there are plenty of resources available for the other subjects we cover in our homeschool, but few that deal with our heritage. It's my way of introducing my kids to the culture from which we oftentimes feel so far away.
Day of the Dead is certainly a fun holiday for all of us. I have so many popular activities related to it available via my TpT store, and new ideas pop into my head all the time. I'm especially excited about my latest one that focuses on Calavera Poetry. In it, I include a short history of calavera poems.

This activity is available in my TpT store or here on my site.


For a huge list of all my printable Day of the Dead activities, click here!

This post is part of Multicultural Kid Blogs' first annual Day of the Dead series. Visit our main page for the full schedule of articles and to link up your own!

Monday, October 26, 2015

Book Review: Día de los Muertos by Roseanne Gerenfield Thong

Day of the Dead book

Remember how I mentioned that there were several new children's books out this year on the topic of Day of the Dead? Well, here's my review of Día de los Muertos by Roseanne Greenfield Thong. And if you'd like to see other children's books on this topic, check out my list of favorite Dia de los Muertos books for children.

This post contains affiliate links.

Día de los Muertos by Roseanne Greenfield Thong


Día de los Muertos is a visual feast of a book. Illustrated by Carles Ballesteros, it takes the readers through the day as it is celebrated by one family. You'll read about how they decorate their home altar and visit a cemetery where they decorate the graves of their loved ones.

Roseanne Greenfield Thong does a particularly good job of making the book rhyme and weaves Spanish words throughout. (You may remember her as she is also the author of Round is a Tortilla and Green is a Chile Pepper.) There's a glossary at the end of the book to help non-Spanish speakers understand the words she uses. And she also includes a section explaining the tradition surrounding the holiday and where it finds its roots.

Carles Ballesteros was born in Spain and now lives in Chile. You should totally look up his website where you'll see sneak peeks of the illustrations he's done for other children's books - many of them in Spanish! (I totally love learning about new authors and illustrators!)

Ballesteros' illustrations in this book are fun and colorful. He fills the pages with lots of details that you and your child will enjoy discovering. 

When to Use this Book


This book is a great resource for lesson plans and unit studies covering Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos, world cultures, Halloween, Mexico, family traditions, and more. 

I recommend adding it to your home library simply because it is such a fun book and because young children who cannot read yet, can still enjoy "reading" on their own. They can curl up in their favorite reading spot and just go through the book looking at the beautiful illustrations.



Where to Purchase


You can find this lovely book on Amazon.


Other Posts on Day of the Dead





Friday, October 23, 2015

PBS Learning Media: Day of the Dead


Have you ever visited PBS Learning Media? It's an awesome resource for homeschooling parents and educators. I was happily surprised to find this little video on their site. They don't have a whole ton of stuff on Day of the Dead, but there are a few videos and activities.

The interesting thing is that they also have a growing collection of Spanish-language educational materials that cover subjects like math, science, social studies, and more.

You don't have to register to view most of these materials, but if you do, you can save your favorites and share them. And registration is free!


Thursday, October 22, 2015

Roll-a-Jack O'Lantern


Time for a new free download! You know I can't help myself. I just love these dice-rolling activities because my own kids enjoy them so much. This time, I'm keeping with the Halloween theme.

This is a fun activity for elementary age students. And the best part is that it comes with pages in full color or black-and-white (to save on color ink), as well as English and Spanish pages!

This activity is up for sale in my TpT store, but it is free here for MommyMaestra readers only.



Enjoy!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Hispanics in History Fandex



I have to admit it: Hispanic Heritage Month always inspires me. Every year, I discover new people or learn fascinating facts about the ones I already know, and their stories are remarkable. But they should be shared all year long, not just one month out of the year.

So I was motivated to create a new activity that can be used at any time. The Hispanics in History Fandex is my new favorite printable.

Once printed and cut out, these fact files may be used as individual bookmarks or a fandex. As bookmarks, your students can choose one and take turns presenting their figure to the class, or write a report. The fandex is awesome for literacy centers. Students can flip through it and select three figures they enjoyed learning about and use the worksheet to share what they've learned.


These fact files feature 36 historical figures:

Cesar Chavez
Dolores Huerta
Sonia Sotomayor
Ellen Ochoa
Pablo Picasso
Tito Puente
Celia Cruz
Roberto Clemente
Rita Moreno
Frida Kahlo
Dara Torres
Mario José Molina
Diego Rivera
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Soledad O'Brien
Sylvia Mendez
Martina Arroyo
Pelé
Salvador Dalí
Pura Belpré
Linda Ronstadt
Carolina Herrera
Isabel Allende
Miguel de Cervantes
Carlos Santana
Sammy Sosa
Tomás Rivera
Plácido Domingo
Rafael Nadal
Sandra Cisneros
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
Franklin Ramón Chang Díaz
Narcís Monturiol
Bernardo de Galvéz
Helen Rodríguez Trías
Sonia Manzano

And the best part? It is available in EnglishSpanish, or both!!



Thursday, October 15, 2015

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras


There are a few new books out this year to celebrate Día de los Muertos, and they are fabulous so I want to share them with you. The first is a wonderful biography of José Guadalupe Posada, who is best remembered for his drawings of calaveras, especially La Catrina.

This post contains affiliate links.

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh


There are a lot of talented Latino authors and illustrators out there, and Duncan Tonatiuh is one of my favorites because I love his unique art style, as well as his fearlessness when it comes to the topics of his books. He's not afraid to address controversial issues such as immigration and segregation. And he both writes and illustrates his books.

His latest book is another treasure. My kids and I loved learning about Posada and the way in which he created his artwork. From lithography to engraving to etching it amazes us how much talent people can have. I especially enjoy how Duncan's collage technique merges Posada's art into his own illustrations.


He also challenges the young readers to think about Posada's calavera drawings and to guess what message the artist was trying to get across through his work.



This book provides a unique perspective and allows us to study Day of the Dead from a totally different perspective. As an educator, I especially appreciate materials that allow us to delve deeper into history and explore an aspect of the holiday other than the traditional focus on the ofrenda.

Funny Bones is a treat not just for children, but parents, abuelos, and teachers, too.




You can find this wonderful book on Amazon:



DIY Calavera Poems




Teach your students about Calavera Poetry by having them create their own calavera poems! 

This activity includes a brief description of calavera poems, directions, graphic organizer for writing your own poem, sample calavera poems, and various Día de los Muertos writing pages. The directions and sample poems are in English only. The writing pages may be used in any language.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Es Halloween! Kids Halloween Song in Spanish by Mariana Iranzi

Here comes Halloween, and it occurs to me that I don't have a lot of Spanish resources for this holiday available on MommyMaestra. So I'm happy to share a new one! Here's a fun song from the talented Mariana Iranzi, whom you may remember from a feature I did a couple of years ago. This is a wonderful little song to help teach your children counting from 1 - 10 with a Halloween theme.

Enjoy this with your nenes!

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Free Download: Meet & Greet Dialogue in Spanish


One of the comments I receive from MommyMaestra readers is how much they appreciate the free resources that are shared from time to time on this site. I try to offer a variety to appeal to a wide audience so we share freebies for parents of preschoolers and middle schoolers, English learners, Spanish readers, world culture explorers and more. 

Some of the most popular are the mini-lessons from our sponsor Spanish for You! Created for Spanish learners, this month's activity helps them learn and practice key phrases used during meeting and greeting. 

This mini-lesson teaches key vocabulary associated with introductions. The 3-page lesson comes with worksheets, and a word search activity, as well as the audio to help you with the pronunciation of each word. 




If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

And to supplement this lesson, check out these books in Spanish that highlight greetings! 
The links below are affiliate links

Friday, October 9, 2015

He Named Me Malala Opens Today



This week, in theaters across the country, a new film is being released that I wish everyone could go and see. He Named Me Malala is the true story of Malala Yousafzai.

Do you remember her? She's the Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban at age 15 for advocating for girls' education. She survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls' education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund. 

Around the world 62 million girls are not in school today. The reasons vary from lack of schools to poverty to cultural mores. I believe in the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Right which states that everyone has the right to an education. I cannot even imagine growing up in a world in which I couldn't go to school because I was a girl/woman. But this remains the case for too many people.

Malala was shot for daring to speak up and say that girls deserve to go to school. The Taliban thought that they would silence her, but in fact, they only shouted her message to the world. Malala recovered more determined than ever to fight for girls' education and her work has earned her the title of being the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Today, her story is being released in 75 cities and special screenings across the country. You can learn more about it here and create your own I Stand #withMalala image here. Educators who want to incorporate her story into their classroom lessons, can download the Toolkit here.


Thursday, October 8, 2015

DIY Calaverita Crayons


This week I'm over at Latinamom.me sharing one of my favorite Day of the Dead crafts so far: Calavera Crayons! Aren't they adorable? They are fun and so easy to make. Put them inside a super cute bolsita I designed that you can print and assemble yourself, and you'll have a fun treat bag to give your child or their friends this holiday. Head over there and find out how to make your own!

Enjoy!


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

NEW! Transformative Calendar by Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy


The prolific writing team of Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy have created a tremendous number of works that highlight the Hispanic experience for children. These works are precious resources for parents and educators alike. What I love most about these authors is that they are 100% committed to helping teachers in any way they can. They often send free books to educators to help them with their lesson plans, and they have certainly been generous with MommyMaestra readers over the years, too.

And they show no signs of slowing down. Every few months, I learn about new resources, new books being published. And now they have another fantastic tool for us.

A few days ago, Alma Flor said...
"We are delighted to have been able to prepare a first version of our Transformative Calendar with suggestions for books and poems appropriate for different dates throughout the year. We hope you will find it useful, and will welcome your comments and suggestions."




Of course, I immediately downloaded it and was thrilled to find it as comprehensive as it is useful. And the best part? IT IS FREE!!

So go and download your copy today!


Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Target's Dia de los Muertos Collection


So I was out shopping around on Sunday (usually my only day to shop ALONE), and when I was walking through Target, I was so surprised because this year their collection of calaveritas and Dia de los Muertos decorations has exploded! Just in case you're looking for ways to decorate your house, check out most of what I saw...

Party Supplies
 Baking Supplies

Crafts and Activities
 Treats
 Decorations


Monday, October 5, 2015

Free Homework Book for Spanish Readers: Segmentación


We are SO grateful for our wonderful sponsor, Lectura para niños, and all the fantastic FREE downloads that they share with MommyMaestra readers every month. Today's download is a great resource for parents of Spanish readers.

Leah says...

Parents always ask me how they can help their child at home. I started sending these home with my kiddos a few years ago, but I have recently updated this file. Usually at the beginning of the year, I start with sending the “segmenting syllables” pages only. Around November, I start sending the pages that segment words into syllables and sounds. Segmenting words into sounds is a developmental skill. Having the students at least say the sounds for each word while looking at it is a start. Soon, the students will be able to segment a 4 sound word without looking and then progress to a 6 sound word. I wouldn’t expect students to segment words with blends or diphthongs until they get to 1st grade. I do have many of my students who can do this by the end of the year, but not all are quite ready for it.

I hope your readers enjoy this!

You can get the entire unit here: Spanish Homework: 006: TAREA Segmentación por sílabas y sonidos




For more awesome Spanish materials, especially those that teach children to read in Spanish, check out Lectura para niños on FacebookTeachers Pay TeachersBlog, and Pinterest.


Sunday, October 4, 2015

Celebrate "Odd-tober" with New Episodes from PBS KIDS

Here come the holidays and with them new episodes from PBS KIDS! 

They start tomorrow with an all-new ODD SQUAD one-hour special and the return of Halloween-themed family favorites from various series. On Monday, PBS KIDS will premiere “ODD SQUAD: Against the Odds,” which will include five 11-minute stories with Olive, Otto and the rest of the gang as they solve the community’s strange problems.

Then, during the week before Halloween, “Odd-tober” will continue on PBS KIDS starting October 25th with the return of family Halloween favorites, including “CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest.” Favorite episodes from series such as DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, WILD KRATTS, PEG + CAT and DINOSAUR TRAIN will also air throughout the week. Families will be able to play Halloween games and stream the Halloween-themed episodes free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video App.


Here's a peek at the upcoming episodes:

“ODD SQUAD: Against the Odds” – premieres Monday, October 5 (check local listings)
Five all-new 11-minute stories are packed into a super special hour:

Undercover Olive” (Parts 1 and 2): In this half-hour episode, Olive goes undercover in a high-stakes “Rock, Paper, Scissors” game.

“The Curious Case of Pirate-itis”: Otto and Oscar try to stop Olive from turning into a pirate.

“Not So Splash”: Olive and Otto must figure out why parts of the town are turning snowy and cold — in the middle of summer.

“By the Book”: Olive and Otto interrogate two suspects to figure out which one is innocent and which one is guilty.

Halloween Programming – airs October 25-31
Check local listings for airdates and times.
ARTHUR

“Hick or Treat/ Mr. Alwaysright”
“Tales of Grotesquely Grim Bunny/ Pet Projects”

CAILLOU
“Caillou Loves the Fall”
“Fall Is in the Air”

THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!
“Trick or Treat/ King Cecil the Seahorse”
“Aye Aye!/ Trick or Treat”

CURIOUS GEORGE“CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest”
“Night of the Weiner Dog/ Animal Trackers”

DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD“Katerina’s Costumes/ Dress up Day”

DINOSAUR TRAIN“Haunted Roundhouse/ Big Pond Pumpkin Patch”
“One Big Frog/ Caving with Vlad”
“Night Train/ Fossil Fred”

MARTHA SPEAKS
“Martha Gets Spooked/ Martha Changes Her Luck”
“Martha: Deadline Doggie/ It’s the Giant Pumpkin, Martha”
“TD’s Magic/ Scaredy Cat”

PEG + CAT
“The Halloween Problem”

THOMAS & FRIENDS“Tricks & Tales”
“Spooky Charms”

WILD KRATTS“Secrets of the Spider’s Web”
“A Bat in the Brownies”
“Little Howler”

WORDGIRL
“Tobey’s Tricks and Treats/ Escape Wham”

Disclosure: I'm a PBS KIDS Ambassador. This allows me to learn about and share special opportunities and news from PBS KIDS with you as they become available.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Day of the Dead Activity Calendar


Guess what! Day of the Dead - or Día de los Muertos - is exactly one month away! I have tons of activities here on my site (and a few others that I love) for kids to make, read, watch and more. But it can be tricky to find all of them, so I've created this living calendar to help you!

My Day of the Dead Activity Calendar is full of 32 resources for celebrating the holiday with your children. I'll be updating some of the links as we go through the month and new, fun content goes up on MommyMaestra. Please note that a couple of the book links are affiliate links to my Amazon store. And you know what happens when you buy one them? Amazon puts a small percentage on a gift card for me to buy more books for my kids and to share reviews with you.

I hope you all enjoy my Day of the Dead Activity Calendar!


¡Abrazo!

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Nominate Your Student for the Latino Youth Summit

Latino Youth Summit

Parents and teachers of STEAM geniuses! Don't miss this opportunity for your child or student. You have 5 days to nominate him or her.

Nominate a Hispanic student excelling in science, technology, engineering, arts, or math to showcase his/her work during this year's 7th Annual Latinos in Technology Innovation and Social Media (LATISM) conference.

Help us celebrate the contributions of Latino Students. Nominations will be accepted until October 5th, 2015.

For more information join our Twitter Party every Thursday or visit http://conference.latism.org/latino-youth-summit/

We'll be waiting for you at the usual 9:00 PM (ET). 

WHAT
LATISM is pleased to host the first National Latino Youth Summit on October 28, 2015 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the STEAM Fair and engage in several hands-on interactive activities related to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math principles (STEAM).

WHEN 
Thursday, October 1st - 9:00 PM (ET)

WHERE
Twitterlandia! 
Follow #Latism and #LATISM15 with @Latism @AnaRC @WendyRivera_Esq