Education Resources Blog

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 | Special Education | English Language Learners (ELL) | Student Engagement | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Featured Topics: Differentiated Instruction | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400 | Academic Subject: Special Education | VariQuest Tools: Cold Laminator 2510 | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400STP | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 3600STP | VariQuest Resource Center | visual learning | classroom management | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400PRO | Engage Every Learner Content

Teaching Visual Learners in Special Education

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
February 22nd, 2024

According to Neil Fleming's popular "VARK" model of learning types/styles, there are 4 main learning styles - including visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. Other models list additional types including social, logical, solitary, musical, and combinations of any of these. Visual learners comprehend concepts best when there are visual aids to complement learning. Examples of this could include graphs, symbols, depictions, or otherwise. It's why we decorate our classrooms with vibrant anchor charts, conceptual reminders, and graphic examples! And because neurodivergent students typically learn better with visuals rather than relying on verbal, special education classrooms can benefit greatly from supplemental learning materials that complement teaching a wide range of concepts.

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Featured Topics: Classroom Celebrations/Holidays | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | Academic Subject: Mathematics

[Lesson Plan] Celebrate the Chinese New Year 2024!

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
January 17th, 2024

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is one of the most important holidays widely celebrated in many Asian countries and territories including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Thailand. Usually falling between January 21st and February 20th, this year's start of the 2024 Chinese New Year will occur on Saturday, February 10th, and is the Year of the Dragon. The celebration lasts for about 15 days. Gung Hay Fat Choy is a common Chinese New Year’s greeting in Chinese Cantonese, which means “wishing you great happiness and prosperity.” On Chinese New Year, the themes of happiness, wealth, longevity, luck and good fortune are celebrated. Some of the traditional celebrations include family gatherings, visiting friends and relatives (baai nin), exchanging “lucky money” contained in red envelopes (lai see), decorating homes with paper decorations and scrolls, lion dances, and fireworks. Chinese New Year is a special holiday to celebrate with your class while teaching them others’ cultures and comparing them to American traditions. We have updated our collection of fun, hands-on and Common Core-aligned lessons and activities, classroom decorations, and craft projects for this year's holiday so you can explore and enjoy with your class, and we want to share them with you!

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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 | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Grade Level: Secondary (7-12) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6)

[Lesson Plan] How to Write a Research Paper: The Writing Process

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
November 16th, 2023

We ask Google, we ask Alexa, we ask Siri...but what questions and answers do we need to find, ourselves? The skill of writing a research paper doesn't just develop writing skills or focus on learning more about the subject at hand. It also teaches students to gather proper information to make informed decisions when faced with options in their lives. To catapult these critical thinking skills into play, we at VariQuest have put together a substantive lesson plan unit, split into two parts (to make it easier to digest and teach!) and this second and final portion focuses on the writing (and editing) portion of the process. Get Part 1: The Research Process here! From writing introductions and conclusions to proofreading to publishing, these lessons are designed in a writers'-workshop-style to guide students through all the important steps in writing a research paper. Using the example of The Great Barrier Reef, all lessons come paired with a handful of helpful printables - including anchor charts, discussion cards, reference pieces, and more!

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Grade Level: Secondary (7-12) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6)

[Lesson Plan] How to Write a Research Paper: The Research Process

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
November 8th, 2023

Research-writing has changed a lot over the years, and with the prominence of artificial intelligence, those changes are only going to continue. As students learn the important skill of responsibly researching for their writing, we at VariQuest have put together a 42-page booklet, split into two parts (to make it easier to digest and teach!) and this first part focuses on the research portion of the process. From choosing a topic, to learning to paraphrase, to writing a thesis, these lessons are designed in a writers'-workshop-style to immerse students in every important step of writing a research paper. Using the example of The Great Barrier Reef, each lesson is paired with a handful of helpful printables - including anchor charts, discussion-prompts, and more!

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Grade Level: Secondary (7-12) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6)

[Lesson Plan] Artificial Intelligence for the Writing Classroom

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
October 16th, 2023

There are so many questions when it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it will affect humankind in the future. At its best, it can help us learn and understand even more about the world around us - making tasks easier, helping us remember important appointments, and simplifying the search for information. At its worst, it could take away our jobs, our creativity, and our critical thinking skills to rely (too much) on technology. Of course, one area we're all very concerned about is - how will this impact the lives of young people, who are growing up in an AI-focused world? Because it's unrealistic to ignore AI technology and the fact that students will be navigating this option with or without adult supervision, helping your students in the classroom make responsible decisions about how to use AI is a great first step.

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Special Education | English Language Learners (ELL) | Student Engagement | Grade Level: Primary (PK-2) | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | VariQuest Tools: Cutout Maker 1800 | Featured Topics: Student Engagement | Academic Subject: Science | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | Featured Topics: Templates for FREE download | Kinesthetic Learning

Printable Sensory Paths for Elementary Education

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
August 30th, 2023

Sensory paths are not only fun for elementary education because they help get the wiggles out, but they help with learning too! At VariQuest®, we feel passionately about visual and kinesthetic learning - and a sensory path is a great way to get "a-movin' and a-groovin'" while learning something too! In partnership with Cathy Henry of The Curriculum Corner, we've put together not only printables to build your own sensory path(s) on your school floors, but paired them with lesson plan activities to teach common curriculum-based concepts. Check out and download these great booklets, featured below!

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Perfecta | Student Engagement | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Grade Level: Secondary (7-12) | Grade Level: Intermediate (3-6) | Featured Topics: Industry News and Trends | VariQuest Tools: Design Center Software | Featured Topics: Student Engagement | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400STP | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 3600STP | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400PRO | Engage Every Learner Content

Writing Prompts for Students: Using ChatGPT

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
June 22nd, 2023

You can't escape reading about Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements and how they are changing the world every day. From self-driving cars to robotics to digital assistants and language processing tools, technology is quickly infiltrating every aspect of our lives that our minds used to control themselves. How long can you go without utilizing the technology to ease tasks in your day? "Hey Google, ______" And this means that our children and students are using the technology, too - and are probably better at it! Growing up with the instant gratification of using a search engine to find an answer and asking Alexa to play any song in the world, it's no wonder they're using the tools in their immediate toolbox to "learn" and get things in the quickest and easiest ways. BUT...what does that mean in terms of cultivating critical thinking in the classroom?

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Featured Topics: Templates for FREE download | VariQuest Tools: Motiva 400 | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400STP | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 3600STP | free posters | VariQuest Tools: Perfecta 2400PRO | Engage Every Learner Content

[Download] Writing With Caution Classroom Poster and Activities

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
June 15th, 2023

THERE (not their, or they're) is no way around it - homophones are tricky...and the English language is full of them!

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Featured Topics: Classroom Celebrations/Holidays | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | Academic Subject: Mathematics

[Lesson Plan] Celebrate the Chinese New Year 2023!

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
January 5th, 2023

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is one of the most important holidays widely celebrated in many Asian countries and territories including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Thailand. Usually falling between January 21st and February 20th, this year's start of the 2023 Chinese New Year will occur on Sunday, January 22nd, and is the Year of the Rabbit. The celebration lasts for about 15 days. Gung Hay Fat Choy is a common Chinese New Year’s greeting in Chinese Cantonese, which means “wishing you great happiness and prosperity.” On Chinese New Year, the themes of happiness, wealth, longevity, luck and good fortune are celebrated. Some of the traditional celebrations include family gatherings, visiting friends and relatives (baai nin), exchanging “lucky money” contained in red envelopes (lai see), decorating homes with paper decorations and scrolls, lion dances, and fireworks. Chinese New Year is a special holiday to celebrate with your class while teaching them others’ cultures and comparing them to American traditions. We have put together a collection of fun, hands-on and Common Core-aligned lessons and activities, classroom decorations, and craft projects for you to explore and enjoy with your class, and I want to share them with you!

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Lessons/Activities/Templates | Academic Subject: English Language Arts | Featured Topics: Classroom Celebrations/Holidays | Featured Topics: Lessons and Activities | Academic Subject: Mathematics

[Lesson Plan] Celebrate the Chinese New Year 2022!

By: VariQuest Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Suite
January 14th, 2022

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is one of the most important holidays widely celebrated in many Asian countries and territories including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Thailand. Usually falling between January 21st and February 20th, this year's start of the Chinese New Year will occur on Tuesday, February 1st, and is the Year of the Tiger. The celebration lasts for about 15 days. Gung Hay Fat Choy is a common Chinese New Year’s greeting in Chinese Cantonese, which means “wishing you great happiness and prosperity.” On Chinese New Year, the themes of happiness, wealth, longevity, luck and good fortune are celebrated. Some of the traditional celebrations include family gatherings, visiting friends and relatives (baai nin), exchanging “lucky money” contained in red envelopes (lai see), decorating homes with paper decorations and scrolls, lion dances, and fireworks. Chinese New Year is a special holiday to celebrate with your class while teaching them others’ cultures and comparing them to American traditions. We have put together a collection of fun, hands-on and Common Core-aligned lessons and activities, classroom decorations, and craft projects for you to explore and enjoy with your class, and I want to share them with you!

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