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December 2018/ January 2019

Can't-Miss Teaching Extras

Keep the learning going with additional videos, book recommendations, discussion starters, and more! 

America's Deadliest Disaster

The true story of the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900

Galveston Today

Your students will be fascinated to see what Galveston looks like today! This fantastic sitetakes you through the town’s historic landmarks.

To help your students better envision the power of this storm, explain that the hurricane created a 30-foot-high wall made of broken buildings and furniture. It stretched out along the beach for miles and, for a short time, protected the city from the furious ocean waves. Survivors described the winds of the hurricane as “a thousand little devils shrieking and whistling.”

Write To Win! 

Don’t forget to have your students enter our writing contest! They could win a copy of The Magic Tree House: Hurricane Heroes in Texas, all about the Galveston hurricane. It could make a perfect read-aloud for your class, too. Here’s more about the book.

Hurricane Relief Efforts

This story may provide the opportunity to discuss what’s being done for victims of recent storms, like Hurricane María in Puerto Rico. Read about how middle-school students supported the ongoing recovery. 

The Choice

What would you do if you found a ring that didn’t belong to you?

About the Author

Author Nan Marino, who’s written two novels, shares some funny facts about herself—and a few good writing tips—here.

Character Analysis

Check out this post on the Storyworks Ideabook for ideas on how to incorporate character analysis into your classroom. 

Thrifty Find

In 2012, an avid shopper found a Picasso print from 1958 at an Ohio thrift store. After some digging, he found Picasso had made the poster for a French exhibition and was one of 100 prints!  

Feathers in the Wind

What’s the harm of spreading a little gossip? This Jewish folktale makes you think about it.

Geography Connection 

Our play takes place in an Eastern European village square. Help your students envision it with this 90-second video of Poland’s Krakow Market Square, which dates back to 1257 and still maintains an historic feel.

Grow Your Classroom Library

If you’d like to extend the learning with other Jewish folktales, your students are curious about life in Eastern Europe when our play took place, they will love Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer, is considered a must-read. 

A Sweet Lesson

What is honey cake, anyway? Show your students this 1-minute video on how to make one.

The History of Dogs/How America Went Dog Crazy

Today, dogs are more than pets. They’re members of the family

Dog Power!

Check out this chart of the most popular dog breeds. Before sharing it with your students, ask them to guess which ones make the top 10. It’s interesting to compare the rankings from previous years, too, and discuss why some breeds have risen or fallen in popularity

Storyworks Jr. Treasure Trove

Don’t miss this gem from our archives: Stubby the Hero Dog from WWI!

Can't Get Enough Of Fonzie?

Want to know more about Fonzie the pug on page 12? You can share Fonzie’s adventures with your students on Instagram: @_fonziethepug (P.S.: He belongs to Kara Corridan, editorial director of Storyworks Jr.)

Powerful Learning Extension

Have your students watch this Storyworks video about the world of elite military dogs. They will learn about what goes into becoming a military dog and the life-saving tasks they perform.

The Spendosaur

A humorous poem about the antics of a dinosaur on a shopping trip

Poetry in the Classroom

We found “The Spendosaur” in Hungry For Math: Poems to Munch On. It’s filled with fun, quirky poems that reinforce math concepts in an accessible way.

There's An App For That! 

Since the poem relies on made-up words, you can share this app so students can think of their own fun, silly words. 

You Do NOT Want to Smell This Flower

Unless you like the smell of sweaty socks

In Full Bloom! 

Your kids will be mesmerized by this 3.5-minute time-lapse video of a corpse flower blooming at a botanic garden in New Zealand. (The action picks up around the 1:45 mark.)

Watch This!

This is a fun, nearly 4-minute CBS This Morning news clip about Spike, a corpse flower that was expected to open up in 2015 at the Chicago Botanic Garden. But it didn’t end up blooming--until last April! Here’s more about “Spike the Sequel.”

Science Connection

Amazon has a corpse flower in their Seattle headquarters’ indoor rainforest. The plant, which staffers named Morticia, bloomed for the first time last October. Find out more here!

Where's Indonesia?

Show your students where Indonesia is by clicking on this link. You can zoom into the map and see how far it is in relation to your classroom. 

Is Fortnite OK for Kids?

Hannah wants to play the game. Her parents say no. Who’s right?

Fortnite Facts

Shock your students with this stat: The number of people playing Fortnite is equal to the entire population of Mexico! That’s approximately 129 million people.

Teacher Approved!

Our debate mentions the nonprofit Common Sense Media. You might show the site to your students. Together you can look up ratings for other video games, movies, TV shows, or books. Do you agree with the rating? Why or why not?

Beware of the Baboon Bandits

In South Africa, monkeys are moving to the city—and they’re not afraid to steal from humans.

It Must Be Seen To Be Believed!

This 2.5-minute news clip shows the unrelenting baboons in action--and one possible solution to keep them away.

On the Scene

Your kids would get a big kick out of Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom, a documentary about another monkey species. It even comes with an educator’s kit with lesson plans. Watch the trailer and try to resist the cuteness!

Scientists In Action 

Show your students how scientists track coyotes in the outskirts of Chicago in this 4-minute Chicago Tribune video. They will love the adorable baby coyotes!