Free Printable Native American Lesson Plans--Multisensory, Interactive

Thanksgiving is the time in the school year when many schools and grades are exploring Native Americans and American Indian cultures. Understanding American Indian history helps us understand all history better. Native American tribes have a varied wealth of knowledge, culture and technology. We learn about language, nature, life science, economics, self-government and so much more as we familiarize ourselves with native cultures. If you are exploring Native Americans in your classroom, here are hands-on, multisensory free printable Native American lesson plans to help (great for ECSC and special needs learners).

Teachers Pay Teachers--Sell Your Lesson Plans and Earn $

Looking for more great lesson plans? Try Teachers Pay Teachers. As a freelancer, I've learned to generate multiple steams of income. Teachers Pay Teachers is a great place to earn residuals on user-created lesson plans. I've been at Teachers Pay Teachers since 2007. TPT is easy to navigate, profitable and user-friendly. I've only got 6 products (one is the complimentary free download) but I've sold over 100 copies of these items. TPT is Here's my teacher store link. Store: Marilisa-Sachteleben-9 - TeachersPayTeachers.com. If you join TPT, will you use my referral link? Many thanks. Here it is Marilisa's TPT Referral 

Online study aids, Homework Help, Calendar Apps for Special Education

Back to school--three words kids hate and parents (let's admit it) look forward to. Too much unstructured summer vacation gets old. But no parent looks forward to school homework battles. Got a "reluctant learner" (or in parent-speak--"lazy kid")? Or maybe your child has special needs that make school difficult. Good study skills (and school success) rely on organization, time management and accessing appropriate resources. Here are free online study aids, homework planners, homework help and calendar apps to do those things. These apps motivate the reluctant learner, kick start lazy kids learner and help struggling students. The penny pincher in me loves that these apps cost nothing and so save money on school supplies.  Back-to-school: Online study aids and apps to motivate reluctant learners

Best Books for EI, ADHD Special Needs Teen Boys

As a teacher and homeschool parent, reading for research and pleasure is elemental to me. Each person in my family, male and female is a passionate bibliophile. I'm surprised when parents say that their kids, especially the boys, don't like to read. I suggest that this is less a distaste for reading, as that they haven't found books that engage them.

This is particularly true for boys identified with special needs, like EI, CI, ADHD, Asperger Syndrome and mild autism. Because they struggle with other issues, reading often becomes just another way they learn failure. Yes, I said learn failure. Success and failure are states of mind learned from the attitudes, expectations and behavior of others. When a child perceives that others expect him to fail, he obliges. He believes himself incapable and beyond help. He avoids challenge. Happily that trend works in the reverse. Kids who are encouraged learn success and make better choices.

To remedy fear-of-failure in reading, I've created a list of books and authors guaranteed to inspire the teen boy reluctant readers. The books are challenging. The authors don't pretty up their stories. Most of these books have some mature content and that's one reason boys love them so much. They feel respected and not talked down to. I recommend reading these stories with kids.  Best books, authors to ignite a passion for reading in tween boys