VariQuest Blog

The VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite Blog contains resources on classroom ideas, lesson plans, industry news, events, and offers throughout education.

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Student Engagement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | social-emotional learning | classroom management

[Lesson Plan] How Big is My Problem? A Lesson Plan for Elementary Teachers

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
December 8th, 2022

Reflecting on, and regulating emotions is a life-long learning process. Even as adults in the age of discussing the "Karens" - we all need to remember to take a moment to stop and think about how we're going to react to a problem, before our reaction becomes the problem. In an elementary classroom with lots of different personalities and energy levels, students may be working on the lines between "tattle-tale", needing an adult to help, or critical thinking to calmly solve problems on their own. In this realm of social-emotional learning, we've once again partnered with Cathy Henry, educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, to create this How Big is My Problem? lesson plan for elementary teachers to help students look at problems and regulate how they would (or should) react. By encouraging thoughtful reflection and practicing scenarios, students can begin to see how things might upset themselves and others, and how they can find their own solutions to many everyday issues.

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Student Engagement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | social-emotional learning | classroom management

[Lesson Plan] Emotion Meter: A Social-Emotional Learning Lesson for Teachers

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
November 11th, 2022

We can't control our feelings, but we can control how we act on them. For students learning this concept as they grow socially and emotionally, this means not only recognizing feelings, but understanding what causes them, and how the same scenarios may impact others differently. Because social-emotional learning for elementary students is such an important part of their learning and development, we've again partnered with Cathy Henry, educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, to create this Emotion Meter Lesson Plan Activity Booklet to help students identify and express their feelings in a healthy way to nurture growth not only emotionally but academically as well. By creating a supportive environment for group discussion and sharing, you'll create that sense of community every teacher hopes for in the classroom.

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How to Write a Grant eBook

How to Write a Grant eBook

This helpful guide includes an explanation of the grant process, including a checklist (with samples!), and useful links and resources to find funding!

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Special Education | Student Engagement | Parental Involvement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Academic Subject: Special Education | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | social-emotional learning | classroom management

[Lesson Plan] Visual Schedule Cards for Special Education

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
August 26th, 2022

Planning, organizing, and having things to look forward to are concepts we all can appreciate. While surprises are sometimes lovely, clear expectations for what's ahead can bring a sense of calm - especially for students in the classroom. "Pop quiz" is a phrase almost no one wants to hear! For special education and primary students, this is especially true - and as we educators know, visuals can help bring a schedule to life. So in partnership with Cathy Henry, an educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, we've created this Visual Schedule Cards Lesson Plan activity to manage classroom anxiety, help with transitions, and encourage social-emotional wellbeing in the classroom. For both verbal and non-verbal students, this exercise will promote that sense of calm with clear expectations an organized schedule can bring for both teacher and student.

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Student Engagement | Parental Involvement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | social-emotional learning | classroom management

[Lesson Plan] Morning Welcome Activity for Elementary Teachers

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
July 20th, 2022

Belonging. Community. Inclusive. Comfortable. These words describe the environment that educators work so hard to achieve in their classrooms and school buildings. Our students need our help and support now more than ever, as we all work through challenging and divisive times. When a student enters your classroom for the first time or the 100th time, you want them to feel like they belong, and that for the short time they're with you, they are in supportive surroundings where they can fully focus on learning and growing. Enter the morning welcome - a way to set the tone for every day. In partnership with Cathy Henry, an educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, we've created this Morning Welcome Activity lesson plan and download pack for Elementary teachers to help introduce students to their day in the classroom - the moment they step foot through the door. And it not only helps students settle in for their day, but it teaches them valuable social-emotional learning skills in the process.

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Student Engagement | Parental Involvement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | social-emotional learning | classroom management

[Lesson Plan] Create a Motivation Station for Your Classroom

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
May 19th, 2022

After the last two years being anything but normal, you might be on a constant quest for ideas and ways to support the social-emotional wellbeing of your students and boost their self-esteem. Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a critical focus in helping our students grow not only personally, but academically as well. In partnership with Cathy Henry, an educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, we've created this Motivation Station Social-Emotional Lesson Plan activity to help spread a little positivity! And it's not only approaching the topic from a self-love standpoint, but encourages peer-to-peer support as well!

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Special Education | Parental Involvement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | VariQuest Tools: Cold Laminator 2510 | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400STP | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 3600STP | social-emotional learning | classroom management | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400PRO

How Do You Recognize Students? Create a Selfie Station!

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
March 10th, 2022

There are plenty of reasons and ways to recognize students. Doing so promotes self-confidence, determination, a positive attitude, and overall social-emotional wellbeing! In the age of cell phones, social media influencers, and YouTube stars, the word "selfie" has become commonly used in our vocabularies, and the concept is foreign to no one. Alongside displaying student artwork in your school hallways and classrooms, allow students to showcase work they're especially proud of, and infuse parental involvement in a modern way with this fun and easy selfie station in your classroom!

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Common Core | Grade Level: Secondary (7-12) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Featured Topics: Classroom Celebrations/Holidays | Featured Topics: Common Core | VariQuest Tools: Cold Laminator 2510 | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | Academic Subject: Mathematics | VariQuest Tools: Trifecta 800 3D Printer | 3D Printing

[Lesson Plan] Order of Operations

By: Carman Le
March 15th, 2018

"Class, what is the Order of Operations?" My energetic class of fifth graders shouted out loud, "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally!" What? Who is Aunt Sally? When students initially learn how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, they are taught to perform those skills using two numbers and one operation. As they progress to the next levels, they begin to see numerical expressions with more than one operation and word problems that involve multiple steps. Introduce your students to the Order of Operations - and help them memorize the "PEMDAS" or "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" acronym as early as third grade. Putting this memory into practice can be more of a challenge - so we've come up with some tips and a fun lesson plan activity for your students to drive the concept home!

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Differentiated Instruction | Lessons/Activities/Templates | Student Engagement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Academic Subject: Social Studies and History | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | Featured Topics: Templates for FREE download

"Explore Your World" Lesson Plan Unit

By: VariQuest Visual & Kinesthetic Learning Tools
August 17th, 2017

It's back-to-school time, you're crazy busy, and your brain is being stretched in a million different directions. We want to help! In partnership with The Curriculum Corner, VariQuest® presents a cross-curricular free lesson plan unit for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students titled, "Explore Your World."

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Poster Maker 3600 | Grade Level: Secondary (7-12) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Academic Subject: STEM | VariQuest Tools: Poster Maker 3600 | VariQuest Tools: Cutout Maker 1800 | Academic Subject: Science

Understanding the Plant Cell: 3 Engaging Activities

By: Margo Ensz
August 31st, 2015

Engage students in learning the parts of a plant cell with a variety of teaching tools and fun activities using your VariQuest Cutout Maker 1800 and VariQuest Perfecta Poster Design System!

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Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Featured Topics: Industry News and Trends | Featured Topics: Differentiated Instruction | Featured Topics: Education Policy | Featured Topics: Professional Development

NAESP 2015 Focus Track: Student Achievement Gaps

By: Margo Ensz
June 16th, 2015

The National Association for Elementary School Principals (NAESP)'s annual conference kicks off in two weeks in Long Beach, CA (June 30-July 2). Each year the conference, designed for educators on the "front lines," challenges leaders to think, what's next? Attendees can choose their conference focus from several tracks:

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