10 Free and Educational Online Gaming Websites

Online gaming websites can prove to be a treasure trove of learning opportunities, and there are a variety of content-areas, age ranges, and skill levels to choose from. The true pay dirt for browser-based learning games can be found on large online digital game hubs. Here are 10 educational online gaming websites that teachers and parents can use as one tool in their arsenal. 1. Primary Games. With games and activities that meet curriculum needs…

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The Primary Level ISEE: What You Need to Know

The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is a test many independent schools use as part of their admissions process. The Primary ISEE is taken by students applying to grades 2-4. The Primary Level ISEE has three levels: Primary Level 2 for students applying to 2nd grade, Primary Level 3 for students applying to 3rd grade, and Primary Level 4 for students applying to 4th grade. Primary Level 2 Here’s a breakdown of the Primary 2…

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Levels of Banned Books Skyrocket in the US

Attacking books has been an American tradition since 1650, when Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony seized William Pynchon’s “The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption,” labeling it blasphemous for saying obedience, and not suffering, led to atonement. In 1885, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” was banned for “coarse language” (and much later for the use of the n-word). “On the Origin of Species,” probably the most influential book ever banned, was censored in 1895 for…

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How College Scorecard Helps Find Affordable College

The College Scorecard has gotten a makeover. And no, this has nothing to do with your March Madness bracket. The Scorecard is an online trove of federal data that can help prospective students choose the college that’s right for them – and, just maybe, avoid a lifetime of student debt and heartache. The site, collegescorecard.ed.gov, can tell you a lot about a school – from its graduation rate and the earnings of former students, to how much…

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Does Your Child Have a Tech Addiction?

In her book “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence,” Dr. Anna Lembke makes the case for how technology, with its promise of nonstop engagement and flashing lights, can be addictive. And while addiction may make one think of drugs or alcohol, activities like video games, social media apps, and sites like YouTube can also become unhealthy addictions. Lembke, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, says child tech addiction…

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How 21st Century Thinking is Just Different

In an era dominated by constant information and the desire to be social, should the tone of thinking for students be different? After all, this is the 21st century, the world of Google. In this world full of information abundance, our minds are constantly challenged to react to data, and often in a way that doesn’t just observe, but interprets. Subsequently, we unknowingly spin everything to avoid any degree of dissonance. As a result, the…

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Why We Should Teach Taxes to High Schoolers

It’s almost tax day, and while tax time can be a trying experience for adults, it can also be a prime learning opportunity for students to understand how taxes work and why we pay them. By taking an approach to teaching taxes that is enjoyable and stress free, when kids grow up to manage their own taxes, they won’t carry negative preconceptions they may have been inadvertently taught by their parents. Many high school students…

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Sound Influences Our Ability to Learn in These 3 Ways

Of the five senses, the ability to sense sound is undervalued and under-appreciated, and yet inextricably tied to our understanding of the world. Our culture is very much visually oriented, but just as visual objects have elements of size, texture, and color, so, too, does sound. Though sound is invisible, it consists of so much information: pitch, timing, rhythm, timbre and phrase, says neuroscientist Nina Kraus. Kraus’s new book, “Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain…

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Graduation Rates Dip as the Pandemic Stalls Progress

High school graduation rates dipped in at least 20 states after the first full school year disrupted by the pandemic, suggesting the coronavirus may have ended nearly two decades of nationwide progress toward getting more students diplomas. The drops came despite at least some states and educators loosening standards to help struggling students. The results, according to data obtained from 26 states and analyzed by Chalkbeat, are the latest concerning trend in American education, which…

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April Vacation Events and Activities Around Boston

Check out our list of fun-filled April vacation events and activities happening around Boston! Kids Walking Tours in Salem & Boston When: Sunday, April 17, 2022 – Saturday, April 23, 2022 Where: Salem, MA and Boston, MA Age: kids Cost: starting at $12 Boston and Salem’s “must do” walking tours for visiting families, our tours will captivate and inspire guests of all ages. Local educators with a passion for history and a love for sharing…

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